i •^ i . ■ . \ 



S6- 



Water-Supply and Irrigation Paper No. 184 



Sflriflq / ^' Pnniping "^ater, 13 '\ 
'^"^^ 1 0, Underground Waters, 65 



DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

CHARLES D. WALCOTT, Director 



THE UNDERFLOW 



OF THE 



SOUTH PLATTE VALLEY 



BY 



Charles S. Slichter and Henry C. Wolff 




WASHINGTON 

government printing office 

1906 




Glass ^j ^.- , 

Book ^^y- 



Digitized by the Internet Archive 
in 2011 with funding from 
The Library of Congress 



http://www.archive.org/details/underflowofsouthOOslic 






Water-Supply and Irrigation Paper No. 184 



Sflfifis / ^' Puinping Water, 13 
^®"®^ \ 0, Underground Waters, 65 



DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

UNITED SPATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

CHARLES I>. WAU'OTT, Dikkctok 






THE UNDERFLOW 



SOUTH PLATTE VALLEY 



Charles S. Slighter and Henry C. Wolff 




WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

1906 



• oo^y 



(>^c 






^ 



DEC 4 1906 



n AST f 



X 



CONTENTS. 



Page. 

Location and purpose of the investigations 5 

Water- bearinc; gravels 6 

Conditions at Sterling, Colo 8 

Investigations at Ogalalla, Nebr 9 

Velocity and direction of the underflow 9 

Quantity of the underflow 12 

Chemical analyses of water -12 

Underflow ditch at Ogalalla 15 

Disadvantages of underflow canals 22 

Investigations at Xorth Platte, Nebr 23 

Slope of the water plane * 23 

North Platte city waterworks pumping plant 25 

Springs and artesian water of Bird wood Creek 26 

Suggestions for the construction of small pumping plants 29 

Kind of wells adapted to the South Platte gravels 29 

Amount of water that can be obtained 29 

Distance between wells 30 

Kind of pump 33 

Method of priming pumps 84 

Pipe fittings 34 

Source of power 35 

Economical distance water may be lifted 35 

Storage reservoirs _ 35 

Cost of pumping 36 

Appendix 38 

Index 41 

3 



ILLUSTRATIONS. 



Fig. 1. Cross section of South Platte Valley at Ogalalla, Nebr 10 

2. Map of Hollingsworth underflow ditch, Ogalalla, Nebr 1 17 

3. Diagram showing discharge over weirs Nos. 1, 2, and 3 in the Hol- 

lingsworth underflow ditch and the elevation of the water in the 
river between August 6 and 21, 1905 18 

4. Diagram showing discharge of Hollingsworth underflow ditch from 

8 a. m. August 20 to 3 p. m. August 21, 1905 19 

5. Diagram showing discharge of Hollingsworth underflow ditch and the 

temperature of the water and the air August 24, 1905 19 

6. Diagram showing discharge of Hollingsworth underflow ditch and the 

temperature of the water and the air August 27 and 28, 1905. 20 

7. Profile of water plane at line of test wells near the head of the Hol- 

lingsworth underflow ditch 21 

8. Diagram showing change in elevation of the ground water at North 

Platte, Nebr., between 1890 and 1905 24 

9. Map of city waterworks pumping plant at North Platte, Nebr 26 

10. Diagram showing the position of the water plane and the coarse 

water-bearing gravel near the head of West Birdwood Creek 28 

11. Diagram of a pumping plant in the Arkansas Valley for recovering 

water from a dug well provided with seven galvanized-iron strain- 
ers or feeders 31 

12. Suggested arrangement of wells and pump for a plant designed to 

recover 2,500 gallons of water per minute 32 

13. Diagram showing relative shape of standard and "long sweep" pipe 

fittings 35 

4 



THE UXDEIIFLOW OF THE SOUTH PLATTE VALLEY. 



BvC. S. Slighter and 11. (\ Wolff. 



LOCATION AND PURPOSE OF THE INVESTIGATIONS. 

Investigations were begun in the middle of July, 1905, in that part 
of the South Platte Valley extending from Sterling, Colo., to North 
Platte, Nebr. The purpose of the survey was to determine what 
resources, if any, existed in the underflow waters of the valley and 
whether it was practicable to make use of such waters, if they were 
found to exist in suitable quantities, for purposes of irrigation. 

The greater part of the work was carried on at Ogalalla, Nebr. 
This point was selected for several reasons; primarily for the fact that 
an underflow^ canal on the south side of the river at this place has been 
in successful operation for several years and has attracted the atten- 
tion of those interested in -irrigating the bottom lands of the valley. 
It was thought that valuable information might be obtained from 
observations on the operation of this canal, concerning not only the 
practicability of recovering ground water by the gravity method, but 
also the extent of the deposits of water-bearing gravels and the ease 
with which they yield water under small heads. Again, while the 
conditions found existing at this point are probably not in all respects 
typical for the valley in western Nebraska, the results obtained can 
be applied to any part of the valley. 

In the eastern part of Colorado and in the western part of Nebraska 
the South Platte Valley ranges from 6 to 8 miles in width. Near 
Ogalalla it narrows down to about 2 miles and holds approximately 
this width to Sutherland, Nebr., a distance of about 32 miles. Below 
Sutherland the valleys of South Platte and North Platte rivers unite 
and form a broad, low tract of land west of the city of North Platte. 

From Sterling, Colo., to Ogalalla the direction of the South Platte 
Valley is about N. 80° E.; from Ogalalla to North Platte the direc- 
tion is almost due east. 

In western Nebraska the river has cut to a depth of 1 50 to 300 feet 
in the Ogalalla formation, with steep bluffs on the north side, but 
with more gentle slopes rising to the rolling uplands on the south. 
The Ogalalla formation is a deposit of sand, gravel, and calcareous 

5 



6 UN'DERFLOW OF SOUTH PLATTE VALLEY. 

grit, from which the river sands were, for the most part, derived by 
the washing out of the fine sand, silt, and cementing material. 

Lodgepole Creek, the only tributary of any size, joins the South 
Platte from the west near the Colorado-Nebraska State line. This 
stream has cut down into the Brule" clay and is fed by spring water 
from the overlying Ogalalla formation. At places the surface flow is 
entirely taken out for purposes of irrigation. 

The river itself occupies a sandy stretch from 1,500 to 2,500 feet in 
width. During low stages the river flows in this wide bed in numer- 
ous interlocking small streams, among which it is difficult to select 
the principal channel. Much of the bottom land near the river is low 
and swainpy. These low bottoms vary greatly in width at different 
places, and at points where the width is considerable they leave but a 
small area of land suitable for irrigation. Above the bottom lands 
the valley slopes gently away from the channel, here and there in two 
or three distinct levels, but at many places in a gradual rise without 
noticeable benches, to the base of the escarpment that borders the 
uplands on either side of the river. The uplands or table-lands 
within which the river has cut its valley have the well-known level 
topography of the High Plains of western Kansas and Nebraska. 

Numerous irrigation canals have been taken out of South Platte 
River at various points in Colorado and Nebraska. As a rule these 
canals carry water to the bottom lands only. At no place between 
Sterling and North Platte has it been practicable to construct a canal 
to convey water to the uplands, owing to their elevation. Where the 
irrigation systems have been properly constructed and maintained 
the results have been very satisfactory, except during the middle 
and end of the irrigating season, when the farmers complain of the 
shortage of water — a complaint frequently heard in irrigation districts. 
In order to augment the low-stage supply of water several reservoirs 
have been constructed in the South Platte Valley in Colo ado. 

WATER-BEARING GRAVELS. 

Inasmuch as irrigation must of necessity be confined to the bottom 
lands of the valley, it is especially important to know to what extent 
these lands can be irrigated by means of water drawn from the 
underflow of the river. This point was kept well in mind during the 
investigations. 

The gradient of the river channel along this portion of its course 
averages about 8 feet to the mile. The alluvial deposits consist of a 
coarse sand, with which are mixed gravels of various sizes up to peb- 
bles 1 inch in diameter. The larger pebbles are not deposited in 
separate streaks, but are scattered through and mixed with the coarse 
sand of the river deposits. In this respect the sands of the South 
Platte difl^er materially from the sands of Arkansas River in western 



WATEK-BEARTNG ORAVKLS. 7 

Kansas, in which (ho lari^or pcbl)les arc nsually absent. Moreover, 
the South Phitte sands are fairly free from deposits of quicksand and 
fnic silt. 

The presence of the large pebbles in the coarse sands of the South 
Platte deposits renders this material an excellent water-bearing 
gravel, especially well adapted for the construction of wells of large 
capacity. B3' the use of proper strainers the smaller particles can })e 
removed from the immediate neighborhood of a well, so that the water 
can be collected through the coarser material that is left. Gravel of 
tliis kind was found wherever sought between Sterling and North 
Platte, and it is believed that there is no considerable area in this part 
of the valley which is not underlain with similar gravel. 

In order to determine the amount of water that can be obtained 
from such gravels by means of suitably constructed w^ells and pump- 
ing machinery, it was planned to test wdierever practicable the capacity 
of existing wells in the valley. It was found, however, that so few 
pumping plants had been constructed that it was not possible to get 
together a very large amount of data bearing on this point; but 
such tests a§ could be made indicate that wells of liigli capacity can 
be very economically constructed and that no difficulty will be 
experienced in the recovery of water in quantities suitable for 
irrigation. 

The reconnaissance work indicated that there is very little differ- 
ence in the water-bearing gravel between Sterhng, Colo., and Ogalalla, 
Nebr. The valley varies considerably in width, but the w ater-bearing 
material seems to be fairly uniform. 

From fig. 1 (p. 10) it will be seen that the rver gravels are not very 
deep or extensive at Ogalalla; all the test wells, with one exception, 
were driven completely through the deposit. At station 1, 200 feet 
south of the north bank of the river, good water-bearing gravel was 
found at a depth of 85 feet, where driving ceased. The average depth 
of the gravel between stations 9 and 4 was found to be about 40 feet. 
At the edges of the valley, beyond these stations, the gravels probably 
tliin out very abruptly, for at the section line shown at the right of 
the figure and in the bluffs shown at the left appears the undisturbed 
formation within which the valley is cut. 

Fine material was encountered in but a single instance, about 200 
feet south of the south bank of the river. This station was located in 
a portion of the old river bed, now a swamp in process of being filled 
up by decaying vegetation, blowing sand, and silt deposited by the 
river at times of flood. The upper 25 feet of sand within the river bed 
is very much cleaner and its effective size probably much greater than 
that found elsewhere in this part of the valley. At a depth of about 
25 feet there is a marked change, the sands below containing a slightly 
increased proportion of smaller grains, together with a very small 



b UNDERFLOW OF SOUTH PLATTE VALLEY. 

amount of argillaceous material. The line of separation of the upper 
from the lower sands is about on a level with the lower limit of the 
river deposits on either side of the channel. The origin of the two 
classes of deposits probably lies in part in the fact that the fine mate- 
rial brought in by the lateral component of the underflow works its 
way downward to the deep deposits by the constant subdivision and 
mingUng of the water as it flows through the capillary spaces between 
the sand grains, and in part in the tendency of the ground water, 
which flows in from both sides, to come eventually to the surface and 
wash out and carry downstream with it a considerable amount of fine 
material. The gravels in all cases where test wells were put down 
have a sharply defined lower liinit, resting upon a soft formation of 
sand (usually very fine) and calcareous grit. In places, however, the 
material is so firmly cemented that it offered considerable resistance 
to the driving of the test wells. This underlying material is practi- 
cally impervious, as in only a few cases was it possible to draw water 
from it, and even then only with great difficulty. 

CONDITIONS AT STERLING, COLO. 

At Sterling the valley of the South Platte is very wide. A pump- 
ing plant constructed for the purpose of irrigation is located on the 
Johnson ranch, on the east side of the river. The dug well used in 
connection with this plant was so poorly sheeted up that large quan- 
tities of sand entered the pump, making the test unsatisfactory. It 
will be very easy, at small expense, to so modify the well that the 
sand will be kept away from the pump, after which there will be no 
difiiculty about obtaining a large supply of water. 

In the vicinity of Sterling the water-bearing gravels extend to a 
depth of 40 to 80 feet below the surface, and there is unquestionably 
an ample supply of water for a large number of moderate-sized pump- 
ing plants. It is believed that the best method of recovering the 
ground water at this point is by means of wells and pumping machin- 
ery, either owned by the individual farmers or operated by electricity 
from a central plant. Considerable interest is taken at the present 
time in this locality in the growing of sugar beets, and a large sugar 
factory has already been constructed. It may be practicable to dis- 
tribute power from this factory during the irrigation season to a 
number of farmers who live in the neighborhood, for the purpose of 
procuring a sufficient supply of ground water for the irrigation of the 
beet and other crops suitable to this locality. It is not believed 
advisable to put in large pumping stations designed to take out a 
large amount of ground water at any one place. It seems evident 
that it is more economical to restrict the amount of ground water 
taken out at any one place to about 2,500 gallons a minute, rather 



INVESTIGATIONS AT OGALALLA, NEBR. 9 

than attempt to ^ot a fxroater supply. A nuinber oi luudcratc-sized 
plants will bo found to be much more economical and satisfactory 
in the lonj; run tiian a f(>\v lar<;(> plants. 

INVESTIGATIONS AT OGALALLA, NEBR. 
VELOCITY AND DIRECTION OF rUK UNDERFLOW. 

At Ogalalla a series of test wells was sunk in a neai'ly nortli and 
south line across the valley and careful det(n-miiiations were made of 
the extent and quality- of the water-bearing material and of the 
actual rate of movement of the underflow. 

The rate of movement of the ground water was determined by the- 
electrical method." The investigation showed that there is a true 
underflow at this point, the ground waters moving downstream with 
a velocity varying from 2.3 to 13.6 feet per twenty-four hours. The 
average velocity of eight determinations was found to be 6.4 feet per 
twenty-four hours, with an average direction of about N. 88° E. Fig. 
1 gives a cross section of the valley, looking downstream, showing the 
location of the test wells, the extent of the alluvial deposits, and the 
position of the water plane. The numbers within the circles give 
the velocity of the underflow in feet per twenty-four hours at the 
various stations for a depth corresponding to the position of the 
numbers. These velocities are also given in Table I. With the 
exception of the three highest velocities (13.6 and 12 feet per twenty- 
four hours, found near the surface of the river channel, and 9.2 feet 
per twenty-four hours, found at station 9) the rate was very uni- 
form, ranging from 2.3 to 4.4 feet per day. The water-bearing 
gravels of this section may be classified with reference to velocities 
of underflow into four distinct portions — the portion north of the 
river, within which the mean of the velocities was 6.8 feet per day; 
the portion south of the river, within which the mean of the two 
velocity determinations gave 3.55 feet per day; the portion within 
the river channel down to a depth of 25 feet, witliin which two tests 
were made giving the two highest velocities; and the portion within 
the river channel below the 25-foot line, within 'which the remaining 
two of the eight velocity determinations gave a mean flow of but 
2.55 feet per day. From Table I it will be seen that the two veloci- 
ties found within euch section are nearly equal, but differ very much 
from velocities found in other sections. The lowest velocit}^ was 
found at station 1, 85 feet below the river bed, the deepest point at 
which a velocity test was made. The high velocities at the shallow 
depths within the river channel may be due to the fact that the sand 
of the upper 25 feet is exceedingly clean and contains practically 
no very fine material. 

a Water-Sup. and Irr. Paper No. 110, U. S. Geol. Survey, 1905, pp. 17-31. 



10 



UNDERFLOW OF SOUTH PLATTE VALLEY. 



QUARTER SECT/ON Lll</E 




Station J 
Hollin^sworth underf/oi/y ditch 

QUARTER SECTION UNE. 



Station 4^ 




SECT/ON L/NE 




Fig. 1.— Cross section of the South Platte Valley at Ogalalla, Nebr. The numbers inclosed in circles 
give the velocity of ground water in feet per twenty-four hours; the numbers not inclosed indicate the 
total amount of dissolved solids in the water, in parts per million, at the points where the figures are 



VELOCITY AND DIRECTION OF UNDERFLOW. 



11 





T 


ABI.K I 


— Vdoc'iUj of (jrouiid iiuiter ut Oyalalla, Nihr. 


Date. 


No. of 
sta- 
tion. 


Veloc- 
ity pnr 

"24 
hours. 


Moan 
veloc- 
ity per 

24 
hours. 


Direc- 
tion of 
(low 1 Depth. 

(east of 

north). 


Location. 


1905. 

August 10 

August 17 

August 1 

Do 

August H 

August 11 

August 15 

August 5 


10 

I 


Frrl. 
0.2 
4.4 
l.S. 
12.0 
2.8 

2.6 

3.7 
.14 


Feet. 
\ 6.8 

I 12.8 

j- 2.55 

I 3.55 


Feet. 

< 112 ! 16 
t 100 16 
1 84 1 22 
t 90 16 
f 84 55 
1 84 85 
f 100 ! 17 
t 54 1 16 


1,600 feet north of north hank of river. 
!SM feet north of north liunk of river. 
In river channel, 200 loet from north hank. 
In river channel, !KX) feet from north bank. 
In river channel, 2(X) feet from north l)ank. 

Do. 
100 feet south of south bank of river. 
1,400 feet south of south bank of river. 


Average . 





6.4 


88 







The direction of flow for all tests made within the present river 
channel was found to be downstream. At this point the river flows 
slightly north of east. At station 10, located 550 feet north of the 
north bank of the river, the direction of flow was S. 80° E., giving a 
component flow toward the river at this point of 0.76 foot per twenty- 
four hours; at station 9, located 1,600 feet north of the north bank 
of the river, the direction of flow was S. 68° E., giving a component 
flow toward the river of 3.2 feet per day, and at station 4, located 1,400 
feet south of the south bank of the river, the component flow toward 
the river was at the rate of 2 feet per twentj^-four hours. At sta- 
tion 3 the flow was away from the river, probably owing to local 
deposits of fine sand and silt, since this station was located in a por- 
tion of the old river bed. It will be seen from these results that, 
at least during low stages of the river, the ground waters contribute 
very largely to the surface flow\ A line of levels run across the val- 
ley at this point gave the same indications, for it was found that 
the water plane sloped toward the river channel from both the north 
and south sides. 

During the summer months of 1905 the South Platte was at no 
time perfectly dry at Ogalalla. There were several small channels 
within the river bed, some carrying as much as several hundred 
second-feet of perfectly clear water. These interlocking small chan- 
nels of the river are cut down 2, 3, and even 4 or 5 feet below Ihe 
general river bottom, and are fed for the most part by still smaller 
channels. These smaller rills when traced upstream gradually dis- 
appear, and they can be observed to originate in ground water com- 
ing to the surface from the underflow. It is claimed by the older 
residents of this vicinity that these smaller channels did not exist 
within the river in former years, but that its bed was a flat, sandy 
stretch from bank to bank. The river has a large number of islands 
throughout its course through the w^estern part of Nebraska, on 
which are growing not onl}^ grasses and willows, but even small Cot- 
tonwood trees. In time of flood these islands deflect the current, 
causing more scour in one part of the river than in another, hence 



12 UNDEEFLOW OF SOUTH PLATTE VALLEY. 

numerous small channels are found cut down in the river bed when 
the water lowers. Now that these islands are formed, the smaller 
living streams will continue to exist within the river itself unless 
the water plane falls much lower than it is at present. 

QUANTITY OF THE UNDERFLOW. 

The maximum amount of underflow waters passing through the 
gravels in the valley of the South Platte at Ogalalla can be readily 
estimated. The cross section at this point is about the smallest 
that is found between North Platte and Sterling, but the slope of 
the water plane is greater than the average throughout the valley. 
The total cross section of gravels capable of transmitting water is 
less than 330,000 square feet. The average velocity of the ground 
water in this material does not exceed 7 feet per twenty-four hours. 
From this it can be readily concluded that the total amount of 
ground water passing between the river bluffs at Ogalalla does not 
exceed 10 second-feet. 

While this amount of water is not large, it nevertheless indicates 
that a considerable quantity of ground water can be safely removed 
from these underflow gravels, because the supply is renewed at fre- 
quent intervals by floods in the river and by the rainfall upon adja- 
cent lands. Any extended use of the ground waters of the valley 
by means of pumps and wells would tend to lower the water plane, 
but this in turn would decrease materially the enormous amount of 
water that now goes to waste in the surface flow of the river and 
in the evaporation from the sands and soils in the wide river bed 
and the adjacent low bottom lands. This evaporation undoubtedly 
reaches 12 inches per month during July and August of an average 
year. 

CHEMICAL ANALYSES OF WATER. 

A few simple chemical tests were made of the water drawn from 
nearly all the test wells sunk in the valley and from existing wells 
wherever it was thought that such analysis would throw light on th£ 
origin or movement of the ground waters. 

Portable field apparatus was at hand for the determination of chlorine, 
alkalinity, and hardness by titration, respectively, with N/10 AgNOg, 
N/10 HCl, and standard soap solution. The total solids in solution 
were determined by means of the Whitney electrolytic bridge. 

In fig. 1 (p. 10) the numbers not inclosed within circles represent the 
total solids in solution, expressed in parts per million, at the points 
corresponding to the position of the numbers in the drawing. The 
surface water of the river contains about 100 parts per million more 
dissolved solids than the average water taken from the river gravels 
on the two sides of the channel. The strongest waters are, however, 
found in that portion of the river bed at and below the 25-foot level, 



CHEMICAL ANALYSE KS ()K WATER. 



13 



w'lioro the slowest inoveineiits of the i^rouiul waters occur. The total 
solids in solution in this part of the bed average SSO parts per million 
and the chlorine content is higher than at any other jilace in the valley, 
the average being .S6.9 parts per million. Both total solids and chlo- 
rine increase slightly with depth within the zone of surface gravels, 
but as soon as the deposit of river gravels is completely penetrated a 
sudden change takes place in the quality of the water. These deeper 
waters are much softer than those in the river sands above them. 
By referring to the analyses, Table II, and the cross section, fig. 1, it 
will be observed that the waters below the sand contain from 220 to 
250 parts per million of total solids. The one exception is a well in 
the town of Ogalalla, which draws water from the deposits just l)elow 
the surface gravels. 

The tests of water from the deposits below the river sands run very 
uniform with tests of water from wells on the uplands both north 
and south of the river. These waters are uniformly very much better 
than the upper ''sheet water" of the valley. 

Table II. — Analyses of South Platte Valley waters. 
NEAR STERLING, COLO. 





Alka- Hard- 








Date. 


Chlo- Unity, ness, Total 

rine i as , as solids 

(parts CaCOs CaCOs (parts 


Tem- 
pera- 
ture 
(°F.). 


Depth 

(feet). 


Location. 




per inil-| (parts (parts per mil- 






lion) . per mil- per mil- 


lion). 








lion). 


lion). 










1905. 














July 22 


Trace. 172. 5 


213 


240 




31 


Dr. Johnson's well in sand hills south 
of Sterling. 


Do 


3 1 182. 5 


208 


310 




17 


Dr. Johnson's well in valley south of 

Sterling. 
River water, Sterling. 


Do 


42.6 j 172 


386 


730 













NEAR OGALALLA, NEBR. 



1905. 
August 2. . 



Do. 



July 27. 

Do. 
Do. 



August 18 . 
July 27 

Do... 

Do... 
August 4 . . 

July 31 

August 10 . 
August 1 . . 
August 21 . 
August 3 . . 

Do... 
August 14 . 

Do... 



August 20 . 
July 27 . . . 



7.1 


126.5 


161 


220 




39 


10.6 


239 


223 


390 




(?) 


7.1 


194 


194 


290 


62.2 


(?) 


14.9 


209 


272 


360 


68.5 


24 


12.4 


185 


250 


290 




25 


29.1 


387.5 


182 


400 


64 


56 


28 


197.5 


281 


600 




40 


14.2 


154 


267 


370 


65 


75 


28 


145 


325 


650 


75.5 




38. C 


K7 


403 


900 


57 


55 


35.5 


175 


381 


830 


66.5 


22 


36.9 


140 


356 


920 


58 


85 


27.7 


136 


324 


750 


66 


16 


12.4 


156. 5 


205 


220 


59 


44 


31.9 


152.5 


312 


640 


61 


17 


26.3 


191 


306 


640 


60 


16 


10.6 


169 


99 


250 


60 


35 


8.9 


164 


104 


200 





60 


9.2 


165 


110 


230 




200 


33.4 


150 


366 


720 


69.8 





North Platte River water, north of 

Ogalalla. 
One-fourth mile south of North 

Platte River, directly north of 

Ogalalla. 
Well 1| mile north of South Platte 

River. 
Well at court-house, Ogalalla. 
Nelson's well on Main street, Oga- 
lalla. 
Station 9. 

Well at Martin Hotel. 
Union Pacific Railroad well, Ogalalla. 
River water, north side. 
Station 1. 
Do. 
Do. 
Station 2. 
Station 3. 

Do. 
Station 4. 

Do. 
Well on section line one-half mile 

south of bridge at Ogalalla. 
Southeast comer of NE. \ sec. 14, 

T. 12 N., R.39 W. 
HoUingsworth's seepage ditch, at 

bridge. 



o High alkalinity due to calcareous sediment. 



14 



UNDERFLOW OF SOUTH PLATTE VALLEY. 



Table II. — Analyses of South Platte Valley waters — Continued. 
IN SAND HILLS NORTH OF PAXTON, NEBR. 



Date. 


Chlo- 
rine 
(parts 
per mil- 
lion) . 


Alka- 
linity, 

as 
CaCOs 
(parts 
per mil- 
lion). 


Hard- 
ness 
as 
CaCOs 
(parts 
per mil- 
lion). 


Total 
soUds 
(parts 
per mil- 
lion). 


Tem- 
pera- 
ture 
(°F.). 


Depth 

(feet). 


Location. 


1905. 
August 31 

Do 


None. 
do . 


91.5 
91.5 
69 


58 
60 
40 


80 
90 
70 




15 


In valley of West Birdwood Creek, 
7 miles below Big Spring. 

Big Spring, at head of West Bird- 
wood Creek. 

2J miles north of Big Spring. 


Do 


....do . 




193 













AT NORTH PLATTE, NEBR. 



1905. 
September 11 . . 


3 


70.5 


6 


60 




140 


Do 


3 


75.5 


8 


100 




80 


Do 


11.3 
46.8 
74.6 
4.6 


139.5 
192.5 
162.5 

178 


158 
316 
282 
142 


300 
600 
820 
210 






September 7 . . . 

Do 

Do 








6 
40 


Do 


8.5 


176.5 


186 


280 




230 



Near center of W. 4 sec. 30, T. 15 N., 

R. 29W. 
Southeast comer of SW. J, sec. 12, T. 

14N., R.30W. 
North Platte River water. 
City waterworks well. 
Near center of sec. 4,T. 13 N., R.30 W 
Near center of sec. 22, T. 13 N., R. 30 

W. 
NW I SW 1 sec. 4, T. 12 N., R. 30 W. 



The facts brought out by these analyses show that the ground 
waters on either side of the valley are not derived from the underflow 
of the river and that the popular belief that the ground waters of the 
South Platte seep through the narrow divide into the North Platte is 
entirely erroneous. The only reason for such belief seems to be the 
fact that the North Platte, at a distance of only 7 miles, is about 60 
feet lower than the bed of the South Platte, and that it carries water 
for a longer period during the summer months. 

Two samples of water from North Platte River were analyzed — one 
taken at the bridge directly north of Ogalalla August 2, 1905, when 
there was considerable water flowing in the river, only a few points of 
the river bottom near the north bank being above water; the other 
taken at the bridge at North Platte September 11, 1905, when the 
river had fallen considerably, the water covering not more than one- 
third of the river bed. The total solids in solution in these two sam- 
ples were 220 and 300 parts per million, respectively, as compared 
with 650 parts per million for the water from South Platte River. 
This difference of composition may in part be due to the fact that the 
North Platte is fed to some extent by soft water coming from the sand 
hills north of the river. From the analyses in Table II it will be seen 
that all samples of water coming from these sand hills are very soft, the 
total solids in solution ranging from only 60 to 100 parts per million. 
The softness of this water is due directly to the character of the soil of 
the catchment area, which is nearly pure quartz sand that immedi- 
ately absorbs the rainfall and that contains little soluble matter to be 
taken up. 



UNDERFLOW DITCH Al' OflALALLA. 15 

The sand-hill area iu \vt\sU'ni Mohiaska consists of dunes ran^inti; 
from a few feet to several hundred feet in heiojht, between which are 
valleys and depressions from n few acres to several sections in extent. 
This area has no run-olf, and of the 17 inches of annual precipitation 
the greater part enters the sand and raises the water plane much above 
the level of North Platte River. This water imder head .seeps out 
from the sand hills and enters the river, giving rise in places to creeks 
of considerable size, the largest of which are Blue Creek in Deuel 
County and Bird wood Creek in Lincoln County. 

UNDERFLOW DITCH AT OGALALLA. 

One of the interesting developments in the South Platte Valley is 
an underilow ditch on the south side of the river at Ogalalla, owned 
by Dr. A. Hollingsworth. This canal was constructed in 1895 and 
has been in use ever since. It extends along the south bank of the 
river bed, is about 12 feet wide at the bottom and about 6,500 feet 
long, and reaches a total depth in its upper portion of 5 feet below 
the bed of the river. A map of this ditch is given in the lower part of 
fig. 2 (p. 17) ; in the upper part are represented in profile the bottom of 
the ditch and the river bed. The profile of the river bottom was 
made from elevations of the surface of the water in the river, deter- 
mined August 13, 1905. The river at this time w^as nearly dry, the 
water flowing in only a few small channels, as described above. The 
line of levels run on this day, from the section line shown at the left 
of the figure to the section line 2 miles below, gave a drop of 16.7 feet 
in the river water, or a slope at this point of 8.35 feet to the mile. 
The distance from the head of the ditch to the line of test wells, as 
shown in the figure, is 800 feet; below this, the distance between 
points shown by consecutive dotted lines is 1,000 feet measured along 
the line of the ditch. For the first 1,000 feet above (west of) weir 
No. 1, the bottom of the ditch is about on a level with the bottom of 
the river. For the next 4,000 feet (west) its grade drops to 3.8 feet 
per mile; and from thence to its head it again has approximately the 
grade of the river. From its head to within about 1,000 feet of the 
bridge the ditch is cut in sand, and thence down to the point where it is 
carried up above the water plane it passes through a kind of clay 
loam, through which there must be considerable seepage before the 
water reaches the point of application. On account of an unusually 
ample rainfall during the summer of 1905 the water recovered by the 
ditch was not used for irrigation, but was permitted to run back into 
the river, so that no opportunity was offered for measuring the loss 
from the lower part of its course. 

The flow^ of the canal is obstructed by rank vegetation growing 
within it. A large amount of seepage was observed to enter from the 
south margin of the canal. 



16 



UNDERFLOW OF, SOUTH PLATTE VALLEY. 



Table III. — Flow of water in Hollingsworth ditch. 



Date 


Time. 


Flow 
over 
weir 
No. 1. 


Flow 
over 
weir 
No. 2. 


Flow 
over 
weir 

No. 3. 


Eleva- 
tion of 
water 
in river 
(datum 
3,208.51 

feet 
above 
mean 

sea 
level.) 


Remarks. 


1905. 

August 6 

August 7 

August 9 

August 10 

August 11 

August 12 

August 13 

August 14 

August 15.- . ... 
Do .. 


4p. m 

5 p. m 

11 a. m 

12 m 


Sec.-ft. 
3.77 
2.83 
3.06 
3.03 
2.67 
3.39 
3.36 

3.12 
3.36 
3.34 
2.97 
3.06 
3.16 
3.12 
3.06 
2.77 
2.68 
3.02 
3.20 
2.96 
2.67 
2.72 
2.94 
3.08 
2.96 
2.86 
2.96 
2.67 

3.59 
3.40 
3.27 
3.55 
3.49 
3.38 
3.21 
3.21 
3.22 
3.31 


Sec.-ft. 


Sec.-ft. 


Feet. 
1.20 


Weir No. 1 put in ditch. 

Weirs Nos. 2 and 3 put in ditch. 


2.28 
2.86 
2.82 






2.22 
2.13 


1.05 

84 


12 m 




12 m 






.89 

.77 
.70 
.70 
.67 


Heavy rain night of August 11. 
August 12 very cloudy, with local 
showers. 


8 a. m 

12 m.- 


3.16 


2.11 


8 a. m 

9.30 a. m 

12 m 


3.14 


2.16 




Do 








Do 


4p. m 

6p. m 

8.30 a. m 

10 a. m 

12 m 








Do . . 






.64 
.60 
.60 
.58 
.55 
.53 
.53 
.50 
.50 
.50 
.50 
.50 
.48 
.47 




August 16 

Do 














Do 








Do 


2.30 p. m 

7p. m 

8 a. m 

12 m 








Do 








August 17 

Do 


3.14 


2.12 




Do 


2.30 p. m 

4p. m 

5.30 p. m 

8.30 a. m 

10.45 a. m 

4.45 p. m 

8 a. m 

3.30 p. m 

8.30 a. m 

11 a. m 

3 p. m 

8p. m 

8 a. m 

9.30 a. m 

12 m 








Do 








Do 








August 18 

Do 


2.94 


2.03 




Do 








August 19 

Do 














Weir No. 2 removed from ditch August 


August 20 








19, 3.30 p. m., lowering the water 
back of it 1.33 feet. 


Do 










Do. . 










Do 










August 21 

Do 


















Do 









Do. 


S-.'^n n. m 








Do 4.15 p. m 

Do 7 T). m - - 

























The discharge from tliis ditch, measured with a current meter 
August 5, 1905, was found to be 3.78 second-feet. Later three weirs 
were placed at different points in the ditch and continuous records 
were kept for several days. These measurements are given in Table 
III and are represented graphically in fig. 3 (p. 18) . Weir No. 1 was put 
in at the bridge, near the mouth of the ditch (see fig. 2) , August 6, 1905. 
The discharge from the ditch measured over the weir August 6 was 
found to be 3.77 second-feet, checking the measurement made the 
previous day with the current meter. Weirs Nos. 2 and 3 were put in 
place, at locations shown on fig. 2, August 7, 1905, after which the 
discharge over weir No. 1 fell from 3.77 to 2.83 second-feet at a corre- 
sponding hour of the day. This diminution of 0.9 second-foot was 
due to the backing up of the water behind the two additional weirs, 
thus decreasing the effective head which forces the water into the 



UNDERFLOW DITCH AT OGALALLA. 



17 



S£Cr/OAf LINC 




n.- . ^'^,., BRIDGE. 

Ditch to ranch' ^Waste gate to river 



Fig. 2.— Map of HoUiugsworth underflow ditch, Ogalalla, Nebr. The lower portion of the diagram 
shows the location of the ditch with reference to the south bank of the river; the upper portion shows 
the elevation of the bottom of the ditch and of the running water in the river August 13, 1905. The 
location of weirs placed in the canal for the purpose of measuring the flow is shown on the map; also 
the location of a line of test wells put down to determine the elevation of the water plane near the 
ditch. 

IRR 184—06 2 



18 



UNDERFLOW OF SOUTH PLATTE VALLEY. 









ditch. Weir No. 2 was removed August 19, 1905, and the discharge 
over weir No. 1 rose from 2.67 second-feet at 3.30 p. m. to 3.27 second- 

^ , feet at 3 p. m. August 20 — nearly 
the former amount, notwithstand- 
ing the facts that weir No. 3 was 
still in place and that the river had 
gone down 0.8 foot. The removal 
of weir No. 2 lowered the surface 
of the water immediately back of 
it 1.33 feet. 

It was found that the discharge 
from the ditch changed appreci- 
ably with a shght change of ele- 
vation of the river water. For 
example, from 8 a. m. August 15 
to 8.30 a. m. August 18 the river 
fell 0.2 foot, the discharge over 
weir No. 1 fell 0.3 second-foot, over 
weir No. 2, 0.2 second-foot, and 
over weir No. 3, 0.13 second-foot. 
From these data the specific 
capacity of the gravels in the bot- 
tom of the ditch was found to be 
between 0.01 and 0.02 gallon per 
minute per square foot of perco- 
lating surface under a head of 1 
foot, a value much less than was 
expected. This result may be par- 
tially explained by the fact that 
no work had been done on the 
ditch since the previous irrigation 
season. In consequence a rank 
growth of vegetation sprang up 
not only along the banks but far 
out into the water and at places 
extended from bank to bank. 
There was also a tightl}^ attached 
covering of moss or algse over the 
entire bottom of the ditch. 

The above results, while signify- 
ing little concerning the water- 
bearing qualities of the gravel, 
show that a very little extra ex- 
penditure of work on the ditch would greatly increase its yield. Doc- 
tor Hollingsworth says that loosening the moss from the bottom of 





°? 
















1 


^■ 












5 
« 


N 


i 


> 
















o: 
















rvi 






N 










55 'b 








( 










^ 
? 


^ 






} 










1 






1 


' 


9 






< 








/ 


s> 


1 






'. 








1 












i 








■ ), 


> 










I 








■ .? 












f 








\ 












' 








V 




' 








f 








\ 












' 




S: 




1 


















/ 




fO 








k 








4c 




^ 
A 
















A 




1 








J; 








M 




■TV, 








'1 










\ 


^. 


















\/ 


.^ 
^ 








5 










\ 










l^ 










(\l 










/ 








^ 










J 


f 








5 


% 


6 
















\\ 


■a 
















" 


to 














i; 


i 


\- 














/ 
















/ 










< 








Vt 




















J. n o 




— o 





.9 S 






^•^. 



^ o § 
? OS ^ 

fe S S 



M T) -G 
H fl " 

l5 § 

2 « m 
ft I g 



:}3?j-puooss 



fssj 



UNDERFLOW DITCH AT OGALALLA. 



19 



the ditch by ch'aj]:;o;ing ji log tlu'ou<i;h it with a team of horses increases 
its discharge at least 50 per cent. 



JO 

























\ 














over 




























s^ 


* 










y 












ly X 








\^ 


^ 












\ 


V. ^ 


























1 1 


1 9 


10 190 

1 1 


B 

1 1 


, , ^^ , 


1 1° 


21 1905 

1 1 1 1 1 


1 1 



8 9 



12 
M. 



12 

PM 



Fig. 4.— Diagram showing discharge of Hollingsworth underflow ditch from 8 a. m. August 20 to 3 p. m. 
August 21, IftOf), made from autographic record of a self-recording water register placed above the 
weirs. The diagram shows the decreased flow from the ditch during the midday hours. 

It was further determined, from the measurements obtained, that 
the flow from the ditch fell off greatly during the middle of the day, 
but remained nearl}^ constant from the late afternoon until the late 
morning hours of the next day. 
The flow at midday w^as about 
12 per cent less than the flow 
during the night. The cause 
of this fluctuation was inves- 
tigated, and the conclusion was 
reached that the decrease was 
not primarily due to evapora- 
tion from the water surface 
and the gravels near the ditch, 
but mainly to the enormous 
use of water by vegetation 
growing in and along its banks. 
An automatic gage was put in 
the ditch a few feet above 
weir No. 1, from which a con- 
tinuous record of the discharge 
over this weir could be com- 
puted. The results of these 
autographic records are given 
in figs. 4, 5, and 6, together 
with the change in tempera- 
ture of the air and of the water in the ditch. 

An estimate of the evaporation from the surface of the water in the 




Fig. 5.-— Diagram showing discharge of Hollingsworth 
underflow ditch and the temperature of the water 
and the air August 24, 1905. This diagram shows the 
decreased flow in the middle of the dav. 



20 



UNDEEFLOW OF SOUTH PLATTE VALLEY. 



canal can readily be made. The length of the canal is 6,500 feet and 
its average width is 12 feet, making the area of surface 78,000 square 
feet. Evaporation experiments were conducted by the writer during 
the summer of 1905 at Deerfield, Kans., 200 miles south of Ogalalla, 
the conditions being essentially the same at the two points. The 
results are given in Table IV : 

Table IV- — Evaporation in inches of water at Deerfield, Kans., from August 6 to Septem- 
ber 3, 1905. 



For 28 
days. 



Open wa*'8r 10. 90 

Cultivated soil, 1 foot to water i 4. gg 

Uncultivated soil, 1 foot to water i 5. §3 

Uncultivated soil, 2 feet to water I 2. 23 

Uncultivated soil, 3 feet to water .80 



Average 
for 1 day. 



0.39 
.17 
.21 




Fia. 6.— Diagram showing discharge of Hollingswortli underflow ditch and the temperature of the 
water and the air August 27 and 28, 1905. The discharge over the weir was measured by an auto- 
matic recording water register. The cur^'-e shows the sharp drop in the discharge in the middle of 
the day and the nearly uniform discharge during the night. 

The result from open water is equivalent to an average evaporation 
of 0.0325 foot per day, or a total average evaporation of 2,535 cubic 
feet of water per day from the surface of the water in the underflow 
canal. If it be assumed that this loss took place during eight hours 
of midday, it should have shown itself by a falling off in the discharge 
from the underflow canal of 0.084 second-foot. The actual observed 
loss amounted to 0.3 second-foot. Thus direct evaporation can 
account for barely 23 per cent of the observed loss. The evaporation 
from the wet banks of the canal may possibly have increased the loss 
to the equivalent of 0.1 second-foot, still leaving two-thirds of the 
amount to be accounted for by the use of water by vegetation and 
other losses. 



UNDERFLOW DITCH AT OOALALLA. 



21 



A line of test wells (lig. 2, p. 17) at right aii<,'les to the ditch, SOU feet 
from its head, was put down for the pur{)ose of determining the 
depression of the water plane in tlie neighborhood of the ditch. The 
profile of the water plane found in these wells is given in fig. 7. 

The point of especial interest in connection with the Ilollingsworth 
underflow ditch is the fact that it is pr()])al)ly the only construction 
of its kind near any of the streams of the western plains which can l)e 
considered a success. As previously stated, nearly all such ditches in 
other localities in the Western States have proved to be failures. 

The conditions at this particular point are especially favorable. 
The fact that the size of the development is small has also contributed 
to its success. The slope of South Platte River at Ogalalla is 
unusually large, amounting to about 1.6 feet per thousand. The 














































V 

•^ 






































^ 


.5 












1 
















\sf}^ 


^ 


^ 






" 




-^. 






















^ 


















^ 


>l 




1 








0- 


tej> 
























"1 


h 


■? 




y 


^ 






























\ 


\«^ 


^ 















































































































































^ "O V 'O '^ 

Feet north of ditch 



^ 10 to K 00 
Feet south of ditch 



Fig. 7.— Profile of water plane at line of test wells near the head of the Hollingsworth underflow ditch 
The position of this cross section is given on the map (fig. 2, p. 17). 

minimum slope of the underflow 'ditch is 0.7 foot per thousand. The 
cost of construction was about $3,000, including at the standard 
rate the time of the owner and of his teams used in the construction. 
The ditch requires cleaning at frequent intervals — at least once every 
two years — in order to remove the vegetation and the sand which 
tends to gradually ooze up from the bottom and fill the canal. From 
a financial standpoint the underflow ditch is about on a par with a 
pumping plant of the same capacity in the same location. The cost 
of operation is not very different from the cost of operating a Corhss 
condensing engine and centrifugal pump connected to a battery of 
driven wells, and there is little difference in the first cost. A pump- 
ing plant in one respect would be very much more satisfactory, 
inasmuch as there is constant danger that the underflow ditch will 
become a total loss at any time, owning to an unusually heavy flood 
in the river brealdng over the banks and filling it or washing it out. 



22 UNDEEFLOW OF SOUTH PLATTE VALLEY. 



DISADVANTAGES OF UNDERFLOW CANALS. 

As stated above (p. 18), the percolation into the HoUingsworth 
infiltration canal, for each square foot of percolating surface, 
amounted to only 0.01 to 0.02 gallon per minute, under 1 foot head. 
Tubular wells constructed in the same gravels show a specific capacity 
of 0.25 to 0.5 gallon of water per minute for each square foot of 
strainer surface, under 1 foot head. The low specific capacity of the 
underflow canal is due not only to the obstruction of the sand, through 
which the water must pass by vegetation and slime, but mainly to the 
fact that stratified gravels do not readily transmit water across or per- 
pendicular to the direction of the bedding. When tubular wells are 
put down vertically in bedded gravsl, the coarser streaks of gravel 
drain the water into the well strainer and the capacity of the well is 
determined largely by the coarsest layers of the gravels encountered. 
In the underflow ditch the water must reach the surface by passing 
across the various beds of gravel, and the finest layer of sand controls 
the rate at which the water can enter the canal. On this account 
wells that penetrate gravels perpendicular to the bedding are much 
preferred to horizontal wells or to underflow canals that must follow 
the direction of the bedding. For the same reasons a deep tubular 
well of small diameter will furnish much more water than a shallow 
dug well of large diameter. 

An underflow ditch is also undesirable on account of the inelasticity 
in the amount of water which it will yield. The distance to which 
the water level is lowered by the underflow canal is fixed at the time 
of construction, and the daily yield can not be increased beyond a 
certain maximum; in fact, at the very time when the most water is 
needed — say in the month of August — the yield of the underflow 
canal will be near its minimum value. When water is recovered by 
pumping from tubular wells, the vacuum of the pumps can be increased 
for short intervals of time to correspond to the increased demand for 
water. 

It should also be noted that very few infiltration or underflow 
canals are in actual use for irrigation purposes. There are many 
pumping plants in use for irrigation which have turned out to be both 
practicable and financially profitable; but the attempts to secure 
ground water by gravity have usually proved disappointing and there 
are numerous abandoned underflow canals in many parts of the West. 
An underflow ditch was constructed in 1890 in the valley of Arkansas 
River near Hartland, Kans., about 12 miles west of Deerfield, for the 
purpose of furnishing water to the Great Eastern canal. In the sum- 
mer following its construction the flow from the canal amounted to a 
little over 5,000 gallons per minute. Water from the river over- 
flowed the ditch during a flood and partially filled it with sediment; at 



I 



INVESTIGATIONS AT NORTH PLATTK, NEBR. 23 

the saiiK^ t iiiu> t ho i;ra\(>ls in 1 he hoi torn of [hv ciuial sli()\\('(l ;i tciHlcncj'^ 
to work t luMiisclvcs ii])\v:ir(l hv slow movement to (lie le\'el of the 
ground water, euttiu<x down materially the head under wliieh the 
water entered the canal. Tlie ditch proved a complete failure and a 
great disappointment to the people. A large underflow ditch con- 
structed at ij:reat ex])ense near D(Klo:e, Kans., had practically th(> same 
history as the one at llartland. 1'he J)enver Union Water Company 
put an underflow gaflery in Cherry Creek, at a cost of $200,000, and 
succeeded in developing only 5 second-feet of water. An expensive 
infiltration canal neai' Sacaton, Ariz., .on the Gila Indian Reservation, 
was wholly inisuccessful. A gravity infiltration canal constructed on 
Cimarron River near Englewood, Kans., consisted of 900 feet of stave 
pipe and 2,000 feet of open canal. A flood in the river filled the canal 
with sand ' and mud soon after its completion, and it was a total 
failure. 

INVESTIGATIONS AT NORTH PLATTE, NEBR. 
SLOPE OF THE WATER PLANE. 

Several miles of levels were run at North Platte to determine the 
slope of the water plane toward the bottom lands, both south and 
north of South Platte and North Platte rivers, and to determine 
w^hether or not the position of the w^ater plane had changed since 
1890, when W. W. Follett plotted the elevation of water in a north- 
south line of wells crossing the Platte Valley at tliis point. In the 
lower part of fig. 8 the wells used by Mr. Follett are represented by 
dots and those used by the field party in 1905 are represented by 
small circles. In the upper part of the figure is represented the eleva- 
tion of the water in these wells. 

South of the river the water plane was found at about the same ele- 
vation as determined by the line of levels run by Mr. Follett; but on 
the north side, wdtliin the sand-hill district, the water plane was about 
18 feet lower than it was in 1890. The low^ering of the ground w-ater 
on the north side of the river, where its source is the ramfall upon the 
sand area, may be due partly to the fact that within tliis period there 
has been an unusually^ large number of years when the precipitation was 
much less than the normal. The amount of ground water removed 
from the wells is insignificant. The sand-hill country is used for cattle 
grazing, and wliile the number of cattle on the range is probably not 
as great at present as formerly, during dry years it is always greatly 
overgrazed. This may be the principal cause of the lower water level. 

Stearns's well, shown at the north end of the line of levels, was 
drilled during the spring of 1905. 



u 



VUDBUFLOW OF SOUTH PLATTE VALLEY. 




'^•W.iireternitz well 



0, 



il/M.sferns well 



3 Francis 
{Montagues 
I well 



Fig. 8. — Diagram showing change in elevation of the ground water at North Platte, Nebr., between 
1890 and 1905. The location of the wells used by W. W. Follett in 1890 to determine the elevation of 
the water plane is shown on the map by black dots. The circles show the location of the wells used 
to determine the elevation of the water plane in 1905. 



|i 



INVESTIGATIONS AT NORTH TLATTE, NEBR. 



25 



NORTH PLATTE CITY WATERWORKS PUMPINO PLANT. 

In the plant of the North Platte waterworks two lO^-mch duplex 
double-action steam pumps are connected to a gang of 28 6-mch 
wells and deliver water imder direct pressure. In fig. 9 the wells are 
numbered from 1 to 28. The second number for each well represents 
its depth m feet. Wells 1 to 22 have screens made of perforated 
brass about 4 feet long; wells 23 to 28 have 12-foot Cook strainers; all 
are provided with a 4-inch suction pipe. 

September 15 and 16, 1905, observations were made at this plant to 
determine, if possible, the approximate specific capacity of the gravels 
in this part of the valley. On these days the south pump (H) only 
was running, and wells 6, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, and 22 were gated 
off, leaving only 19 wells from which water was pumped. Well 14 
was open and offered an opportunity for measuring the fluctuation of 
the water level at this point due to different rates of pumping at differ- 
ent hours of the day. These measurements are given in column 4 of 
Table V. 

Table V. — Observed and computed, data from test of city vmterworTcs pumping station at 
North Platte, Nehr., September 15-16, 1905. 



1. 


2. 1 3. 1 4. 1 5. 1 6. 


7. 1 8. 




Observed data. 


Computed data. 


Time. 


Time for 
20 cycles 
ofpump. 


Vacuimi 
gage. 


Depth of 
water 


Length of stroke 
of pump. 


Depth of water 
below normal. 




of aban- 
doned 
well. 


North 
cylinder. 


South 
cylinder. 


In aban- 
doned 
well. 


In 

pumped 
wells. 


September 15: 

11 a. m 


Seconds. 

39.2 

37.2 

35.8 

32.8 

30.7 

33.2 

30.7 

31 

29.8 

45 

106 

100 

91 

93 

67.3 

61.4 

43 

43 


Inches 
mercury. 

11 

11.5 

11.4 

12.4 

13 

12.6 

12.9 

12.9 

13.1 

10.7 

9 

9 

9 

9 

9 

9.5 
10 
10.4 


Feet. 

5.38 
5.66 
5.84 
6.03 
6.25 
6.41 
6.54 
6.64 
6.73 
6.30 
5.10 
4.76 

4.66 
4.63 
4.62 
4.86 
5.06 
5.15 


Feet. 


Feet. 


Feet. 


Feet. 


12 m 










1 p.m 


0.86 
.90 


0.93 
.96 


1.54 
1.73 


3.15 


2 p. m 


3.55 


3 p.m 




4 p. m. . . 


.88 
.89 


.96 

.98 


2.11 
2.24 


4.35 


5 p.m . . . . 


4.60 


6 p.m 




7 p.m. 


.90 

.78 
.58 
.58 

.58 
.60 
.64 


.97 
.88 
.84 
.81 

.82 
.82 
.85 


2.43 


4.97 


8.15 p.m 




10.10 p.m 






12 night. .. . 


.46 
.36 


.90 


September 16: 

2 a. m 


,70 


4 a. m 




6.30 a. m 






8.30 a. m 






9.30 a. m 


.82 


.88 


.76 


1.55 


10.20 a. m 















Note. — Specific capacity of gravels =0.31 gallon per minute. Assumed slip of pump = 10 per cent. 

The readings of a vacuum gage inserted in the suction pipe just 
before it enters the pump are given in colunm 3 of Table V. These 
readings are very rough, since the gage fluctuated badly with the 
stroke of the pump, and the true vacuum could only be estimated. 
But from the large number of gage readings taken over a considerable 



26 



UNDEEFLOW OF SOUTH PLATTE VALLEY. 



EIGHTH STREET 



range, together with the readings taken on the open well, the com- 
puted values in columns 7 and 8 of the table can not be far from cor- 
rect. Fom the data in columns 5, 6, and 8 the specific capacity of the 
sands was found to be about 0.3 gallon per minute, the slip of the 
pump being assumed to be 10 percent. The specific capacity of a 
well is a numerical statement of the readiness with which the well 

furnishes water. It expresses 
the amount of water furnished 
per square foot of strainer sur- 
face, if the water level is low- 
ered but 1 foot. This amount 
is large in the case of a good 
well and small in the case of 
a poor well.'' In the present 
case each square foot of strain- 
er surface in the wells furnished 
an average of 0.3 gallon of 
water per minute under 1 foot 
head. This is a large amount 
and indicates an excellent 
grade of water-bearing mate- 
rial. This specific capacity 
can probably be relied on for 
wells in the South Platte Val- 
ley. The waterworks at North 
Platte are in constant opera- 
tion, so that the specific ca- 
pacity measured above is the 
value after long- continued 
pumping has taken place, and 
hence a minimum amount. 

SPRINGS AND ARTESIAN WATER 
OF BIRDWOOD CREEK. 

Birdwood Creek, a perennial 
stream with a low-stage flow 
of about 150 second-feet and 
with a drainage area almost 
entirely within the sand hills, 
enters North Platte River about 16 miles west of North Platte, 
Nebr. The head of the stream is ftearly 20 miles to the north. 
It has only two branches; one is a very small stream entering the 
creek near its head; the other. West Birdwood Creek, flows in an 
easterly direction a distance of nearly 14 miles and joins the main 




SEVENTH STREET 



Fig. 9.— Map of the city waterworks pumping plant at 
North Platte, Nebr. The position of the wells and 
suction pipe is indicated in the diagram. The second 
number for each well indicates its depth where 
known. 



a See Water-Sup. and Irr. Paper No. 140, U. S. Geol. Survey, 1905, p. i 



WATEK OF BIRDWOOT> CREEK. 27 

stream 11 miles ;il)()vc its mouth. The ilow oi" West Birdwood Creek 
at the junction is nearly as great as that of the main stream itself, and 
perhaps for this reason the stream is locally spoken of as liavin<j; au 
east and a west fork. Above the forks the two branches of Bird- 
wood Creek are cut down from 100 to 200 feet into the sand-hill de- 
posit, with no valley bottom, the steep banks in most places extending 
down to the water's edge. The stream flows m this deep cut some 
distance below the general level of the water plane. This conclusion 
is justified ])y the fact that for nearly its entire course there is a strong 
seepage from both banks extending many feet above the binl of the 
creek. 

Birdwood Creek is fed entirely by seeps along its banks and hj 
numerous springs, some of which, at the head of the west branch and 
about 7 miles below the head of the east branch, are of enormous size. 
The description of these springs by the residents of the valley indi- 
cated that there was some probability of the ground waters being 
under artesian head. This matter was accordingly investigated by 
sinking a 2-inch well in one of the large springs at the head of the 
west branch, near the center of sec. 4, T. 16 N., R. 35 W. An arte- 
sian head, increasing w^ith depth, developed during the sinking of 
tliis well ; at a depth of 40 feet the water rose over 20 feet above the 
bed of the creek. 

The log and distance to water for two wells located near the head 
of West Birdwood Creek were furnished by the owners. One well, 
3 miles directly south of the big springs, on the ranch of Mr. F. L. 
Jones, in the SW. J sec. 21, T. 16 N., R. 35 W., is in coarse gravel 
which begins at a depth of 275 feet. Above the gravel are several 
tliin layers of hardpan, and above the hardpan is a very fine sand 
extending continuously to the surface. In this well the water plane 
is at a depth of 60 feet. The second well is on the ranch of Mr. C. W. 
Alexander, 2h miles north and 1 mile west of the big spring, near the 
northwest corner of the SE. i SE. } sec. 21, T. 17 N., R. 35 W. Tliis 
well was put down through 169 feet of very fine sand, 12 feet of hard- 
pan, and for 12 feet into coarse gravel. From these data, and from 
elevations taken from a contour map of this region, fig. 10 was 
dra^v^l. From this diagram it will be seen that the maximum arte- 
sian head which can be developed at this point should be about 25 
feet — a pressure nearly equal to that found by sinking the test well 
in the spring. It may also be observed that the coarse gravels 
should be encountered at a depth not exceeding 160 feet. 

The waters of Birdwood Creek are taken out just above its mouth 
on North Platte River and diverted into an irrigation canal, which 
serves the bottom lands of the river. The discovery of the artesian 
head of the water in Birdwood Creek makes it possible to augment 
greatly the low-stage flow of this stream and the supply of water for 
the existing irrigation canal, or a new one. It will be an inexpensive 



28 



UNDERFLOW OF SOUTH PLATTE VALLEY. 



matter to sink a number of 12-inch wells to the artesian water at 
suitable localities along the stream, and to provide these wells with 



Mse 


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gates or valves which can be opened during low stages of flow. It 
is very probable that the present minimum flow of Bird wood Creek 
could be doubled by such means. 



UNDERFLOW OF SOUTH PLATTK VALLEY. 29 

SUGGESTIONS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF SMALL PUMPING 

PLANTS. 

The invest ii::!iti()ns in the South Phitto Valley indicate that there 
is an ample supply of ground water for a large number of small pump- 
ing plants located in almost an^^ part of the bottom lands. It is pos- 
sible to count on an average depth of 40 to 60 feet of good water- 
bearing gravels. These deposits contain a sufficient amount of coarse 
material to render it imnecessary to use fine-meshed strainers in the 
wells. In a large ])ortion of the bottom lands the distance to water 
is between 5 and 15 feet, making it easy to pump the water and place 
it on the surface of the ground economically. The cost of pumping 
will be controlled, primarily, b}^ the cost of fuel and the distance it 
is necessary to lift the water. Whether a pumping plant will be a 
profitable investment depends, of course, very largely on the crops 
that can be grown and marketed at a fair price. 

KIND OF WELLS ADAPTED TO THE SOUTH PLATTE GRAVELS. 

The most economical well to construct for the purpose of procuring 
ground water in the large quantities needed for irrigation purposes 
is one from 12 to 15 inches in diameter and extending into the water- 
bearing gravels a distance of 30 to 60 feet, depending on the thickness 
of the gravels at the place where the w^ell is drilled. Strainers for 
these wells can be made of slotted galvanized iron. The perforated 
metal should be placed opposite all the coarse gravels, below a depth 
of 10 feet below the surface of the water. These strainers can be 
made by any mechanic by punching heavy galvanized iron with slots 
about one-eighth by 1 inch in size and then riveting the sheets into 
cylinders of the proper diameter. The cylinders should be rolled so 
that the burr made by punching the slots will come on the outside of 
the finished casing and so that the slots will be arranged vertically 
in the finished well. A nuich better strainer can be made if the metal 
is purchased in sheets already perforated. For this purpose steel 
sheets 48 by 60 inches, perforated with hit and miss slots, three- 
sixteenths by 1 inch, and galvanized after the perforations are made, 
will be found to be ideal strainers. When rolled into cylinders these 
sheets form a casing about 15 inches in diameter. In constructing 
the well the perforated sections should be put in place, one above 
another, to a point about 10 feet below the water level, from this 
depth upward the casing should not be perforated. 

AMOUNT OF WATER THAT CAN BE OBTAINED. 

Wells constructed as described in the preceding section can be 
relied on to furnish at least one-fourth gallon of water per minute for 
each square foot of strainer surface in the well when the water in the 
well is lowered 1 foot by pumping. If the water in the well is lowered 



30 U]S"DERFLOW OF SOUTH PLATTE VALLEY. 

10 feet by pumping, the amount of water recovered should amount 
to at least ten times as much, or 2 J gallons per minute per square 
foot of strainer. If a 15-inch well is drilled in good water-bearing 
gravel to a depth of 40 feet, the lower 30 feet of which is strainer sur- 
face, and if the pump lowers the water in the well 10 feet, the amount 
of water supplied by the well should amount to at least 300 gallons 
per minute. It is believed that this estimate is conservative. A 
careful test of the waterworks at North Platte, Nebr., showed that the 
strainers in the wells were furnishing 0.3 gallon of water per minute 
per square foot of strainer surface, when the water in the wells was 
lowered 1 foot by pumping. 

For small pumping plants a single well of the depth indicated 
above would probably be sufficient for the supply; but if the good 
water-bearing gravels do not extend to the requisite depth, it would 
be necessary, of course, to increase the number of wells and connect 
several of them by suitable means to the pump. 

DISTANCE BETWEEN WELLS. 

If it is necessary to construct several wells in order to -obtain the 
amount of water required for an irrigation plant, it becomes impor- 
tant to consider the best and most economical arrangement of the 
wells. Two different methods will be found available for this pur- 
pose. If the amount of water required is not greatly in excess of that 
which can be supplied by a single tubular well, it is often found prac- 
ticable to construct a large dug well 6 to 10 feet in diameter to a 
depth of 5 to 10 feet below the water level, inserting in the bottom of 
the dug well several feeders of perforated galvanized iron, as described 
above. This method has the advantage of permitting the pump that 
is to recover the water to be submerged in the water of the well. A 
well of this sort is shown in fig. 1 1 . 

In order to sink a dug well the proper distance below the water 
level, it is necessary to construct a wooden, brick, or concrete crib 
that will sink as the material is removed from its interior. The crib 
of the well shown in fig. 11 is made of wood, and is larger at the lower 
than at the upper end to facilitate sinking. 

Another method of recovering a large quantity of water is to sink a 
battery of wells and connect them by suction pipe to the pump. 
This method is adapted to secure a greater supply than the large dug 
well. Various arrangements of the wells can be made. Three, four, 
or more wells can be arranged in a straight line 20 or 30 feet apart, 
and connected by suction pipe to a pump placed near the center of 
the row of wells. In fig. 12 is shown an arrangement suitable for a 
battery of eight to twelve wells. These wells are arranged in pairs, 
placed close together, each pair of wells being 40 to 60 feet from the 
next pair on the same suction line. The object of placing the wells 



SUGGESTIONS FOR SMAMv PUMPING PLANTS. 



81 




Fig. 11. — Diagram of a pumping plant in the Arkansas Valley in which the water is recovered from a 
dug well having a wooden crib, in the bottom of which are placed seven galvanized-iron strainers 
or feeders. A chain-and-bucket pump is used on this well. Better results would undoubtedly be 
obtained by using a vertical-shaft centrifugal pump submerged in the open well. 



32 



UNDERFLOW OF SOUTH PLATTE VALLEY. 



s -^ 




AlKHIErtTIONS FOR SMALL IMIMIMNO PLANTS. 33 

close together in })airs is lor the purpose* of removing a large amount 
of the fine, sand from the water-bearing gravel. This can be done in 
gravels like those found in the South Platte Valley by pumping vigor- 
ously from one of the })air of wells and at the same time running clear 
water into the neighboring well. By this means it should be possible 
to clear out all the fme material between the two wells. A pumping 
plant like that shown in fig. 12 should supply from 2,500 to 3,500 
gallons of water per minute, if the water-bearing gravels are of the 
kind usually found in tlie South Platte Valley, without lowering the 
water more than 10 feet. 

KIND OF PUMP. 

Probably the most satisfactory pumj) for use in irrigation is the 
centrifugal pump. It should be remembered, however, that there 
are a great many kinds of small centrifugal pumps on the market 
wliich are designed for a great variety of purposes. It does not 
pay to purchase any but the very best machinery for the pumping 
of water, as poorly designed machinery soon proves too expensive. 
The various kinds of pumps differ greatly in this respect. The cen- 
trifugal pump used by the irrigator should be of the inclosed-runner 
type, provided with self-oiling bearings of the oil-ring type. There 
are several excellent makes of centrifugal pumps on the market, 
and any of them will do good work if the size and design of the 
pump fit the conditions under which it must work. The maker of 
the pump should have full information of all the conditions under 
which, it is to be installed, including the distance that the pump 
must discharge the water above its outlet, also the amount of suc- 
tion or the distance the water must be lifted below the puniD inlet. 
The following points are important to those about to install pump- 
ing plants: 

The efficiencv of the centrifugal pump under actual working con- 
ditions is higher for large pumps than for small ones. Pumps hav- 
mg a discharge pipe less than 3 inches in diameter will show a low 
efficiency. 

A centrifugal pump will work better and be more efficient if the 
length of the suction pipe is kept as low as possible, relative to the 
length of the discharge pipe. On this account the pump should be 
placed as near the level of the water as the securing of a good foun- 
dation will permit. 

If the pump is to be driven by means of a belt it should be pro- 
vided with a large pulley. The pulley usually supplied with the 
pumps is so small that a great amount of slipping takes place 
between the belt and the pulley, and the efficiency of the pump is 
greatly decreased on that account. Of course, it is necessary to 
IRR 184—06 3 



34 UNDERFLOW OF SOUTH PLATTE VALLEY. 

secure the proper proportion between the sizes of driving and driven 
pulleys, but both should be larger than are usually furnished with 
pumps and engines. 

The suction pipe on the pump and the discharge pipe should be 
large. A No. 4 centrifugal pump that draws water from a single 
well should have at least a 6-inch suction pipe, and the discharge 
pipe should gradually increase from 4 inches in diameter at the dis- 
charge opening of the pump to 8 inches 3 feet above the discharge 
opening and continue this size until the flume or discharge conduit 
is reached. The discharge pipe can be made of riveted galvanized 
iron, and the suction pipe can be made either of standard pipe or 
good well casing. 

A centrifugal pump loses its efficiency at once if it leaks air around 
the stuffing box or if there is an air leak at any place in the suction 
pipe. Many centrifugal pumps are now provided with a water seal 
around the stuffing gland that insures the absence of leaks at this 
point. 

A good centrifugal pump with inclosed impeller or runner should 
show an efficiency of about 60 per cent on a 30-foot lift. Single- 
stage centrifugal pumps, constructed with bronze impellers, made 
in two pieces so that the interior could be machined and smoothed, 
have shown an efficiency of about 80 per cent. 

METHOD OF PRIMING PUMPS. 

A large number of pumping plants are installed with foot valves 
at the bottom of the suction pipe. When these are provided a 
centrifugal pump is always ready to start after it is once primed. 
The foot valves usually interfere very materially with the flow of 
water into the pipe, and it is undoubtedly more economical to omit 
them and place a flap valve at the upper end of the discharge pipe, 
which can be lowered when it is desired to start the pump. An 
ordinary cast-iron house pump connected to the top of the casing 
of the centrifugal pump can be used to prime the pump with wat^ 
before starting. 

PIPE FITTINGS. 

The suction pipe usually installed by constructors of pumping 
plants is not only too small for the best results, but the elbows and 
tees used are very poorly adapted to the purpose intended. It is a 
common practice to use steam-pipe fittings for this purpose. In 
consequence the water is required to turn at sharp angles at the 
tees and elbows and the best results can not be obtained. In order 
to avoid this difficulty "long-sweep" fittings should be purchased. 
These are standard trade goods and can be obtained from any of 
the large dealers in pipe fittings. Fig. 13 shows the difference in 
the two kinds of fittings. 



SUQGERTIONS FOR SMALL PUMl'ING PLANTS. 



Hf) 





SOURCE OF POWER. 

A favorite engine for snuill puinpinji; plants is tlie gasoline engine. 
Where the price of gasoline is high it is very easy to make the cost 
of water prohil)itive by the use of snch power. Whether or not it 
pays to pump water by gasoline is a matter which depends very 
largely on the distance the water must be lifted, but also on the 
kind of crop that is to be irrigated. Gasoline, even at a high price, 
is usually a cheaper fuel than coal in an ordinary steam engine of 

small horsepower. For plants re- 
quiring from 20 to 30 horsepower 
producer -gas generators can be 
installed, which will keep the cost 
of pumping down to a minimum. 
A suction gas producer, using an- 
thracite pea coal for fuel, should 
furnish power at the rate of 1 
horsepower per hour for each 
pound and a half of coal con- 
sumed. At $8 per ton the cost of 
coal should be equivalent to 
gasoline at 4 to 6 cents per gal- 
lon. 

In large plants, requiring from 50 to 100 horsepower or more, a 
condensing Corliss engine is sufficiently economical where the cost 
of coal does not exceed $3.50 to $4 per ton. 

ECONOMICAL DISTANCE WATER MAY BE LIFTED. 

It is very unlikel}^ that it will pay to pump water under present 
conditions in the South Platte Valley, a total distance of more than 
30 feet, including the suction lift of the pump. If the pump lowers 
the water in the wells 10 feet and if the distance to water is 10 feet 
below the surface and the discharge pipe is brought into a reservoir 
or flume 5 feet above the surface, the total lift will be 30 feet, if 5 feet 
be added to cover loss of head due to friction in suction and discharge 
pipes. It will probably not pay to pump water to a greater heiglit at 
any place in the valley, except for the irrigation of garden truck and 
other high-priced crops. 



Fig. 13. — Diagram showing the relative shape 
of standard and "long-sweep" pipe fittings. 
The upper part of the diagram shows stand- 
ard fittings and the lower part long-sweep 
fittings. 



STORAGE RESERVOIRS. 



In order to irrigate economically from pumping plants it is usually 
desirable to pump the water into a reservoir having a capacity equal 
to the amount of water the plant can furnish in six to eight hours. 
Such a reservoir is absolutely necessary for the best results with 



36 UNDEEFLOW OF SOUTH PLATTE VALLEY. 

small pumping plants. If the supply of water exceeds 500 gallons per 
minute it is possible to dispense with the reservoir, especially if the 
supply greatly exceeds this amount. Plants furnishing over 1,000 
gallons per minute can usually be best operated without a reservoir. 

COST OF PUMPING. 

The cost of recovering ground water from wells is made up of four 
principal items — (1) cost of fuel and supplies, (2) cost of labor, (3) 
charge for depreciation and repairs, (4) interest on the first cost of 
the plant or the capital invested. The first and third of these items 
are partially under the control of the owner of the plant. If the 
installation is carefully designed and its parts well proportioned, the 
cost of fuel can be kept at a minimum, and similarly the charge for 
depreciation and repairs will be kept low if good machinery is pur- 
chased in the first place and careful attention is given to its mainte- 
nance when in operation and when idle. The charge for depreciation 
will be as great, if not greater, when the plant is not running as when 
it is running. If the machinery is neglected and carelessly exposed 
when idle, the rate of depreciation will greatly exceed the rate when 
it is in use. The charge for depreciation and repairs should not be 
estimated at less than 10 per cent of the first cost of the plant. 

Table VI gives an estimate of approximate cost for fuel and main- 
tenance of a pumping plant having a capacity of 1,000 gallons of water 
per minute for total lifts of 10, 20, and 30 feet. In column 2 of this 
table is given the hydraulic horsepower, which is the theoretical 
power required to lift the given quantity of water the distance stated 
in column 1. The actual brake horsepower of the engine should be 
about double the amount given in column 2. The horsepower 
required by the engine is stated in column 3 in two ways — first, the 
amount of power that would be required in a well-designed pumping 
plant, where care has been given to all the matters previously referred 
to, such as the use of large suction and discharge pipes and proper 
selection of pump and machinery. The best that can be expected of 
a small pumping plant is to recover 50 per cent of the power delivered 
to the belt b}^ the engine as useful work in lifting the water. The 
losses that occur will consist of losses in the belt, amounting to from 
5 to 1 per cent, losses in the pump, amounting to about 40 per cent, 
and friction losses in the suction and discharge pipes, varying from 5 
to 20 per cent. In order to secure an economically running plant it 
is important that the engine should be large enough to do the work, 
but at the same time not too large. Great losses occur in gasoline 
engines if their capacity is largely in excess of the work required. 
The horsepower stated as a maximum in column 3 indicates the largest 
that should be used for the given lift. 



COST OF PUMPINO. 



37 



Table VI. — Approxinuttt coat of fml required to pump 1 ,U00 gallons uf water per minute, for 

various lifts. 



1. 


2. 


3. 


4. 


5. 


6. 


7. 


8. 


Total 
lift. 


Hy- 
draulic 
horse- 
power. 


Engine brake horse- 
power. 


Cost per 
hour of 
fuel, with 
/;asoline 
at 16 cents 
per gallon 


Cost per 

hour of 

fuel, with 

gasoline at 

20 cents 
per gallon. 


Cost per 
hour for 
coal at .fS 
per ton in 
suction 
gas-pro- 
ducer 
plant. 

Cents. 
4.2 
S.4 
12.6 


Cost per 

hour for 
co;;l at U 
per ton in 

conde::E- 
ing steam 

engine. 


Cost of de- 
preciation 
and repairs 
on xv.a.- 
chincry, 
etc., per 
year. 


Mininuiin. 


Maxinunn. 


Feet. 
10 
20 
30 


2.8 
■■i.G 
8.4 


(i 
11 

16 


14 
21 


Cents. 

11.2 

. 22.4 

33.6 


Cents. 
14 
28 
42 


Cents. 
6 
12 
18 


Dollars. 
70 
140 
210 



Note. — One thousand gallons of water per minute pumped continuously for eleven hours is e(iuiva- 
lent to 2 acre-feet of water. 

In columns 4 and 5 the cost of fuel for delivering the horsepower 
stated in column 3 is expressed in cents per hour, based on the i)rice 
of gasoline indicated in these cohmms. In column 6 is given the cost 
of fuel if hard coal costing SS per ton be used in a suction producer- 
gas plant. In column 7 is given the cost of fuel per hour if soft coal at 
$4 per ton lie used in a cone ensirg Corliss engine. In column 8 is given 
a rough estimate of (he cost per year for depreciation and repairs on 
a well-constructed plant. 

In order to determine approximately the cost of punipirg water any 
distance between 20 and 30 feet, a proportional part of the cost for 10 
feet can be added to the cost for 20 feet. Thus, to get the cost of 
pumpi:'g w^ater a distance of 25 feet, half of the numbers in the first 
line of the ta])le can be added to those i:i the second line. The table 
should be used for estimatirg the cost of pumping water only for lifts 
lying between 20 and 30 feet. The cost for 10 feet is given for (he 
purpose of making estimates, but it should not be supposed that the 
cost for this low lift would be merely half of that for the 20-foot lift, 
as friction and other losses would tend to make the cost for the 1oa\' 
lift higher than that stated in the table. 

Tests of a immber of pumping plants in the Rio Grande Valley are 
reported in Water-Supply and Irrigation Paper No. 141. On page 34 
of that paper will be found a table giving the fuel cost, interest, and 
labor cost estimated for each acre-foot of water recovered. Similar 
facts concerning the "cost of pumping water in existing small pumping 
plants in the Arkansas River Valley in western Kansas will be found 
in Water-Supply and Irrigation Paper No. 153. A table summarizing 
the results is given on page 55 of that paper, and on page 82 will be 
found a test of a producer-gas pumping plant at Rocky Ford, Colo. 

At almost any point in the river valleys of the w^estern plains 
complete pumping plants, includirg wells, machii ery, and buildings, 
can be constructed for about $100 per horsepower required. In 
some exceptional cases the cost may rim as low as S60 per horsepower. 



38 



UNDERFLOW OF SOUTH PLATTE VALLEY. 



APPENDIX. 

In the following tables are given statistics of wells in the territory 
along the line of the Union Pacific Railroad in the South Platte Valley 
from North Platte to Sidney, Nebr., and from Julesburg to Sterling, 
Colo., which have been drilled for the purpose of obtaining a water 
supply for private individuals and for the railroad. This information 
was obtained through the courtesy of the engineering department of 
the Union Pacific Railroad. 

Table VII. — Statistics of wells along the line of tTie Union Pacific Railroad in western 
' Nehraska and eastern Colorado. 











Average 


Normal 


Depth 

to 






Locality. 


No. of 
well. 


Diame- 
ter. 


Depth. 


sump- 
tion 
per day. 


depth 
to 


water 
wlicn 




■ Strainers. 










water. 


pump- 
ing. 










Ft. in. 


Feet. 


Gallons. 


Feet. 


Feet. 






North Platte.. 


1 


6 


94 












Do 


2 


6 


94 












Do 


3 


6 


94 












Do 


4 


6 


84 












Do 


5 


6 


88 












Do........ 


6 

7 


6 
6 


92 
92 


■ 216, 100 






Cook. 




Do 








Do 


8 


6 


92 












Do 


9 


6 


92 












Do 


10 


6 


92 












Do 


11 6 


92 












Do 


12 1 6 


92 












Hershey 

Do 


6 

1 613 


48 
13 


}al20,000 


1 3 
\ 6 


12 


Cook No 


8, 5i inches by 12 feet. 


Paxton 


Ifcio 6 


1 15.5 


34, 100 


4.9 


8 






Ogalalla 


1 


6 


75 


51,300 


5.5 


30 


Cook No 


8, ^H' iiic-hes by 14 feet. 


Do 


2 


bl 


75 


i<il94, 400 


5. 5 
5 
1 5.5 
5.5 


30 




- 


Do 

Do 


3 

4 


51 
54 


75 
75 


30 
30 


Icook No 


8, 5 inches by 12 feet. 


Do 


5 


5i 


75 


30 










12 


13.2 




4.6 


6 










12. 2 
12' 6 


17 
28.5 


64, 500 
10, 000 


7.6 

22 


14 
24 






Chappell 






Lodgepole 




9 6 


17.5 


15, 000 


12.5 


16 






Sidney 


1 


fcl2 
t<2 11 


1 33 


107,800 


27 


(=) 






Do 


9 


16 


40 




27 








Sterling 

Do 




/6 5 


600 


32,000 
"""6,'566' 






Cook, from 90 to 110 fept. 





g\\ 
11 
15 6 
11 


15.5 
15.5 
■16 

18 


7 
8 


s' 






ULIT 












Sedgwick 




3,000 





a Estimated flow. 

6 Old well rdug) ; used for emergencies only. 
cTop. 
d Bottom. 
« Pumps dry. 

/Artes an well. Casing, 90 feet 6-inch; 20 feet 5i-inch; 300 feet 5-inch; 190 i'eet uncased (diametei- 
5 inches. 

g For emergencies only. 



ANALYSES OF SOl'TII I'LATTK V ALLEY WATERS. 



39 



o qa 



OSS'" 









.-1C<I IN N 



CMCOCq^HOrc-l^^-^c^ >-7 OCt-*t— ■ncjir^irr^^'^cgr^c^ir- 



c^ioinooocco^oooc^ 












:p CD o •-< -rf wJ* iM o ^ o »-- CO o ^ r^ cc o u5 «-i »o r^ CO 

55—W*r~<M(NQOCO C5 ■*t^OC0<N->J<C«5e«506<0prt^ 



HW*r~<M(NQ0CO C5 ■*t^OC0<N->J<C«5e«506«0C>rt^ lOOOCD— iO'»I'COMCOCOtO 




■2Z 



^ CO tj> c^ 'tm ic Tf -f tr? C' re 'X ro 3^, t-- o c^i o cc lo c*3 00 - 



.-< O Ol CV) [^ t - 



(--^C-i-— « M-— ^.-H^CCOJiM COCCfMCCOl^ 






r-« C^iO ■»J' CO 



Hi 



';Dc:oro(Mcr:t---H(M o y:ioic:DC^)'-'C^i^rccoo:co^i 



;^X-:fOC-. -^O'-H-* 






C^ O N tH t-- OJ GO '-« lO CO Oi OO 00 »0 1-H 05 O O CO 1-H lO -^ i-t t^ C^ 00 CD CD O •-< lO -^ CO -^ 
■^TfiOcDt-OiOih*iO CO lOCDt-COiO-^^OCOCD'^OiOcO t— b-O'-^cO'OiOTti^-^iC 



32 



O CO ^ -^J- ^ O C: I- 03 C^l 
■^ rr lO »0 O) C^ C^] C^l -^ CO 



:c:o^co'-tiooc^ocooicc c:^r--fr^co-Ht^cocDfO »^ 

I ^ T »C L'^ CO »0 CO ^ »C' ^ »C CC ^ »0 C-l (M CO »f3 »0 -^ ^ t-T -^ ^ 



OT3 iS 4- . 
m C g ™-15 

oi =s 'p o r~. 



CO t^ O -ff CO t^ CO 

c-i c^i .-H Tj^ -t ,-H o 



OOcDtO^OX-rt^Cl^ 

cocO'-Hr-icicocO'-'LO 



* "^ CO CO OC Ci ■ O CO 

H ,-i 1-H .-H ci CO CO ■ c^i t-- 



M -j- iM 

ooo 
o:p o Ci 



Tj^ (>J CM rf (M ^ 

oooooo 

OS c: O: C: O Oi 



'rt'C^lCOtOCMC^C^-^^ 

ooc:>oooooo 



— ir-iCQ C0»O(N(N(M 

ooo ooooo 

0C:0 CSOCiOCi 






O'-^CO-^OOCMGO— ^C 
CO C^l CM CN CM CM O) 



- r— OC' o Tt" r- r-- oo . 






p cd 



1. 1: M 



= a. cu o.'a -1- 
i o o m oS 

5.S .S tf-So 









O CO I 

gcO lU 



^~ 



as i< 



a)_M o S ^ 1 



t- =~ hr=3 '^ § -1^ = ■» 



o j5 oj^ k-Gt; 






i 3 o 



-+^r = '« 



:^ fs 



r-< Cj O 0; Cj Q; 
" O O 0^ CD"*-" 

■^ »t-1 «t-( «♦-« VH ^ 

^3 L> W CO W M OJ 

.|1( Oi Gj Oj OJ/Z- 

J tfcOCDCOO lO 



(i> »— ( G^ o o a- 
C ^;;:3 ^ ^ ^ ?: ^ o 

■— ' Q flj a> ^ ^ ^ 



^^, ddS?odd_oooo oc^dddddddo 



40 



UNDERFLOW OF SOUTH PLATTE VALLEY. 



U 



o 



^ 



S 






-Q-^a-J 



05 CO 1>- CD Ci t^ O --^ ^ -^ lO CO 00 00 CO (M 'tJH ' 

men -^"^ t^coi-^cnr^cO'^aiooooioccii— *T 



1-1 (M C<1 i-O 



- Oi »o c^ uor 



I lO O: -:f O r-l IlO 



JCOCOO^COlMiMC^KMi— I 






"3 SSO 



■s?;. 






fi . 



"2 






COO lO "* CCJ 00 to -^ (N r- CT> Oi -rt^ CO -rt^ 1— I 00 h- 
O CO (MOO COCOOO Ol Oi-H ir^Ci O <M CO lO c — 



.-Hl-lTtHrtI 



C5 o ":> CO 

1-H O CO o 



COi-HCOh-lOOCOi-l'rHlOOO.OO 

_ - - -rp ic r^ c^ ^ u ►. .^ ^ «-. .« 

T-H lO (M (M lO C 



-OOCiCOCOTjHt-OrHtMCO 



^OiO^C^COOOiOCOO-^^-OOOCO 
^OIC^JOCCCO rHi— li-iCO-^COi-H 



C5CO OOO r^OCOLOCiiOCOCOi— lOOOLOC 



1 (M .-I CO 



■1 t-- t^ O t- CN) OI T-H CO 1— t CO r 



H 1-i CO 1-t r 



SOCJiCOCOi— l<M(MC01>-OC0 



^ (M (N !-( 1-1 1-t .-H r 



O LO- a: 00 



cooooooooo-^-^ococo 



- O lOOOCO CO 



O CD O C^ lO CD <N CO CQ 00 O i— I -* I>- <M CO >0 -rt^ 
0:iCN TJ^CO '^CSJCS|-^'^TjicOCO»OCO<MCs| CO 



-f (M 


•*' c 


lO lO CO CO uo rf O) lO 


^lOtMCO 


CO -f 


goo 


tXlT-^ (M O CO Ol Ol t^ 


o:i O C^) CO 



OCZJCiCDOOOOOOO 
Ci Oi 00 CJ C3 C3 c: CI Ci Ci Ci 



^s 



Id ^ 
3.Sh 



^.-HiOCOIMLOQO-^iOOG'-H 
i-H .-KM <M CS i-HlM 



9? >> 



00 



Xco O CD 
|>^ b CO TO ^ 

^ m oj Q^ ci> 
000.-I -p^^O 



_T3'0'0— r^ 



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^ O 5 0^ 



OO 0000'5E>i0000f^000 



N D E X . 



Page. 
Alluvial deposits at Ogalalla. Ncbr., extent 

of 10 

in the valley, character of 6-7 

Analyses of ground water 12-15,39-40 

of water, well and river, along Union 

Pacific Railroad 39-40 

Arkansas Valley, pumping plant in, dia- 

agram of 31 

Artesian head in Birdwood Creek region... 27-28 

Beet industry near Sterling, Colo 8 

Big Spring, Nebr., well at, statistics of •. 38 

well water at, analyses of 39 

Birdwood Creek, Nebr., springs and arte- 
sian water of 20-28 

Canals, underflow, failure of, for irrigation 

purposes 22-23 

Chappell, Nebr., well at, statistics of 38 

well water at, analyses of 39 

Chemical analyses of ground water. . . 12-1.5, 39-40 

Crook, Colo., well at, statistics of 38 

well water at, analyses of .39 

Deerfield. Kans., evaporation experiments 

at 20 

Deposits, alluvial, character of (5-7 

Dunes in western Nebraska 1.5 

Evaporation from IloUingsworth ditch, 

Ogalalla 19-20 

experiments on, at Deerfield, Kans 20 

Fuel, cost of, for pumping 37 

Gradient of river channel 6 

Gravels, water-bearing (>-8 

Ground water, amount of, ol)tainable by 

pumping 29-30 

at Ogalalla. dissolved solids in 10,12-13 

velocity of 11,12 

near Sterling, recovery of 8 

Ground-water plane at North Platte, Nebr. 23-24 

at Ogalalla, position of 10 

Hershey, Nebr., well water at , analyses of . 39 

W'ells at, statistics of 38 

Hollingsworth ditch at Ogalalla, cost of 21 

evaporation from 19-20 

flow in _. 16-18 

map of 17 

lliff, Colo., well at, statistics of 38 

well water at, analyses of 39 

Irrigation; pump, kind of, for efficient work 

in : 33 

pumping, cost of 36-37 

economical distance water can be 

lifted 35 

pumping plants elsewhere, tests of 37 

pipe fittings in, best kind of 34 

power for, best source of 35 

storage reservoirs, when desirable 35 

water for, recovery of, by wells 7 



Page. 
Irrigation plant, wells for, economical ar- 
rangement of .30-33 

Irrigation works in th(; valley (i 

Julesburg, Colo., well at, statistics of .38 

well water at, analyses of 39 

Location of the investigations 5-G 

Lodgepole, Nebr., well at, statistics of 38 

well water at, analyses of 39 

Lodgepole Creek, irrigation from 6 

North Platte, Nebr., city waterworks pump- 
ing plant, investigations at 25-2(i 

ground and river waters near, analyses 

of 14 

investigations at 23-28 

well and river water at, analyses of 39 

wells at, statistics of 38 

North Platte River, water of, analyses of . 13, 

14,39.40 
Ogalalla, Nebr., ground and river waters 

near, analyses of 13 

investigations at 5, 9-23 

underflow ditch at, investigations on... 15-20 

well and river water at, analyses of 39 

wells at, statistics of 38 

Ogalalla formation, character of 5-6 

Paxton, Nebr., ground waters near, analy- 
ses of 14 

well at, statistics of 38 

well and river water at, analyses of 39 

Pipe flttings, best kind of, for pumping 

plants 34 

Power for pumping plants, best source of. . 35 

Precipitation in western Nebraska 15 

Piunping, cost of 36-37 

economical distance w^ater can be lifted. 35 

fuel, cost of, for pimiping 37 

Pumping plant at Johnson ranch, near Ster- 
ling, defects of 8 

in Arkansas Valley, diagram of 31 

Pumping plants at Rocky Ford, Colo., tests 

of 37 

in Arkansas River Valley, tests of 37 

in Rio Grande Valley, tests of 37 

pipe fittings in, best kind of 34 

power for, best source of 35 

suggestions for construction of small.. 29-37 
Pumps, kind of, for efficient work in irriga- 
tion 33 

priming with water, method of 43 

Rainfall in western Nebraska 15 

Reservoirs, storage, when desirable 35 

Sand and silt, occurrence of, at only one 

place "-8 

Sand-hill area in western Nebraska, charac- 
ter of ■ 15 

Sedgwick, Colo., well at, statistics of 38 

41 



42 



INDEX. 



Page. 
Sedgwick, Colo., well water at, analysis 

of 40 

Sidney, Nebr., well water at, analyses 

of 41 

wells at, statistics of .38 

Silt and sand, occurrence of, at only one 

place 7-8 

South Platte River, water of, analyses of.. 39,40 

South Platte Valley, cross section of 10 

description of 5 

Specific capacity of wells in South Platte 

Valley 25-26 

Springs that. feed Birdwood Creek, Nebr.. 27 

Sterling, Colo., conditions at 8-9 

ground and river waters near, analyses 

of 13 

well water at, analyses of 40 

wells at, statistics of 38 

Storage reservoirs, when desirable 35 

Underflow at Ogalalla, quantity of 12 



Underflow at Ogalalla, velocity and direc- 
tion of 9-12 

Underflow canals, disadvantages of 22-23 

failure of, for irrigation purposes 22-23 

Underflow ditch at Ogalalla, investigations 

on 15-21 

Union Pacific Railroad, well and river water 

along, analyses of 39-40 

wells along, statistics of 38 

Vegetation, water required by, amount of. . 19-20 
Water plane at North Platte, Nebr., slope 

of 23-24 

at Ogalalla, Nebr., position of 10 

Wells along Union Pacific Railroad, sta- 
tistics of 38 

battery of, and pumps, arrangement of. - 32 
economical arrangement of, for irriga- 
tion plant 30-33 

In South Platte Valley, specific capacity 

of 25-26 

kind of, adapted to South Platte gravels 29 



I 



CLASSIFICATION OF THE PUBLICATIONS OF THE UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL 

SURVEY. 

[Water-Supply Paper No. 1«1.] 

The serial publications of the Ignited States Geological Survey coiiKist of ( 1 ) Annual 
Reports, (2) Monographs, (3) Professional Papers, (4) Bulletins, (5) Mineral 
Resources, (r>) Water-Supply and Irrigation Papers, (7) Topographic Atlas of United 
States — folios and separate sheets thereof, (8) Geologic Atlas of United States — folios 
thereof. The classes numbered 2, 7, and 8 are sold at cost of publication; the others 
are distributed free. A circular giving complete lists can be had on application. 

Most of the above publications can be obtained or consulted in the following ways: 

1. A limited number are delivered to the Director of the Survey, from whom they 
<ian be ol>tained, free of charge (except classes 2, 7, and 8), on application. 

2. A certain number are delivered to Senators and Representatives in Congress for 
distribution. 

3. Other copies are deposited with the Superintendent of Documents, Washington, 
D. C, from whom they can be had at practically cost. 

4. Copies of all Government publications are furnished to the principal public 
libraries in the large cities thruout the United States, where they can be consulted 
by those interested. 

The Professional Papers, Bulletins, and Water-Supply Papers treat of a variety of 
subjects, and the total number issued is large. They have therefore been classified 
into the following series: A, Economic geology; B, Descriptive geology; C, System- 
atic geology and paleontology; D, Petrography and mineralogy; E, Chemistry and 
physics; F, Geography; G, Miscellaneous; H, Forestry; I, Irrigation; J, Water stor- 
age; K, Pumping water; L, Quality of water; M, General hydrographic investiga- 
tions; N, Water power; 0, Underground waters; P, Hydrographic progress reports. 
This paper is the twelfth in Series K and the sixty-fifth in Series O, the complete lists 
of which follow (PP= Professional Paper; B=Bulletin; WS= Water-Supply Paper): 

SERIES K, PUMPING WATER. 

W8 1. Pumping water for irrigation, by H. M. Wilson. 1896. 57 pp., 9 pis. (Out of .stock.) 

WS 8. Windmill.? for irrigation, by E. C. Murphy. 1897. 49pp.,8pl.s. (Out of stock.) 

WS 14. New tests of certain pumps and water lifts used in irrigation, by O. P. Hood. 189.s. 91 pp., 

1 pi. (Out of stock.) 
WS 20. Experiments with windmills, by T. O. Perry. 1899. 97 pp., 12 pis. (Out of stock, i 
WS 29. Wells and windmills in Nebraska, by E. H. Barbour. 1899. 85 pp.. 27 pis. (Out of stock.) 
WS 41. The windmill; its efficiency and economic use, Pt. I, by E. C. Murphy. 1901. 72 pp., 14 pis. 

(Out of stock.) 
WS 42. The windmill, Pt. II [continuation of No. 41] . 1901. 73-147 pp., 1.5-16 pis. (Out of stock.) 
■WS91. Natural features and economic development of Sandusky, Maumee, Muskingum, and Miami 

drainage areas in Ohio, by B. H. Flynn and M. S. Plynn. 1904. 130 pp. 
WS 136. Underground waters of Salt River Valley, Arizona, by W. T. Lee. 190.'i. 196 pp., 23 pis. 
WS 141. Observations on the ground waters of the Rio Grande Valley, 1904, by C. S. Slichter. 190-5. 

83 pp., 5 pis. 
WS 153. The underflow in Arkansas Valley in western Kansas, by C. S. Slichter. 1906. 90 pp., 3 pis. 
WS 184. The underflow of the South Platte Valley, by C. S. Slichter and H. C. Wolff. 1906. 42 pp. 

I 



II SERIES LIST. 

SERIES O, UNDERGROUND WATERS. 

WS 4. A reconnaissance in southeastern Washington, by I. C. Russell. 1897. 96 pp., 7 pis. (Out of 

stock.) 
WS 6. Underground waters of southwestern Kansas, by Erasmus Haworth. 1S<.)7. 65 pp., 12 pis. 

(Out of stock.) 
WS 7. Seepage waters of northern Utah, by Samuel Fortier. 1897, 50 pp., 3 pis. (Out of stock.) 
WS 12. Underground waters of southeastern Nebraska, by N. H. Darton. 1898. 56 pp., 21 pis. (Out 

of stock.) 
WS 21. Wells of northern Indiana, by Frank Leverett. 1899. 82 pp., 2 pis. (Out of stock.) 
WS26. Wells of southern Indiana (continuation of No. 21), by Frank Leverett. 1899. 61 pp. (Out 

of stock.) 
WS 30. Water resources of the lower peninsula of Michigan, by A. C. Lane. 1899. 97 pp., 7 pis. (Out 

of stock.) 
WS 31. Lower Michigan mineral waters, by A. C. Lane. 1899. 97 pp., 4 pis. (Out of stock.) 
WS 34. Geology and water resources of a portion of southeastern South Dakota, by .7. E. Todd. 1900. 

34 pp., 19 pis. 
WS 53. Geology and water resources of Nez Perces County, Idaho, Pt. I, by I. C. Russell. 1901. 86 

pp., 10 pis. (Out of stock.) 
WS 54. Geology and water resources of Nez Perces County, Idaho, Ft. 11, by I. C. Russell. 1901. 

87-141 pp. (Out of stock.) 

WS 55. Geology and water resources of a portion of Yakima County, Wash., by G. O. Smitli. 1901 

68 pp., 7 pis. (Out of stock.) 
WS 57. Preliminary list of deep borings in the United States, Pt. I, by N. H. Darton. 1902. 60 pp. 

(Out of stock.) 
WS 59. Development and application of water in southern California, Pt. I, by J. B. Lippincott. 1902. 

95 pp., 11 pis. (Outof stock.) 
WS 60. Development and application of water in southern California, Pt. II, by J. B. Lippincott. 

1902. 96-140 pp. (Outof stock.) 
WS 61. Preliminary list of deep borings in the United States, Pt. II, by N. H. Darton. 1902. 67 pp. 

(Outof stock.) 
WS 67. The motions of underground waters, by C. S. Slichter. 1902. 106 pp., 8 pis. (Out of stock.) 
B 199. Geology and water resources of the Snake River Plains of Idaho, by I. C. Russell. 1902. 192 

pp., 25 pis. 
WS 77. Water resources of Molokai, Hawaiian Islands, by Waldemar Lindgren. 1903. 62 pp., 4 pis. 
WS 78. Preliminary report on artesian basin in southwestern Idaho and southeastern Oregon, by I. C. 

Russell. 1903. 53 pp., 2 pis. 
PP 17. Preliminary report on the geology and water resources of Nebraska west of the one hundred 

and third meridian, by N. H. Darton. 1903. 69 pp., 43 pis. 
WS 90. Geology and water resources of a part of the lower James River Valley, South Dakota, by 

J. E. Todd and C. M. Hall. 1904. 47 pp., 23 pis. 
WS 101. Underground waters of southern Louisiana, by G. D. Harris, with discussions of their uses for 

water supplies and for rice irrigation, by M. L. Fuller. 1904. 98 pp., 11 pis. 
WS 102. Contributions to the hydrology of eastern United States, 1903, by M. L. Fuller. 1904. .522 pp. 
WS 104. Underground waters of Gila Valley, Arizona, by W. T. Lee. 1904. 71 pp., 5 pis. 
WS 106. Water resources of the Philadelphia district, by Florence Bascom. 1904. 75 pp., 4 pis. 
WS 110. Contributions to 'the hydrology of eastern United States, 1904; M. L. Fuller, geologist in 

charge. 1904. 211 pp., 5 pis. 
PP 32. Geology and underground water resources of the central Great Plains, by N. H. Darton. 1904. 

433 pp., 72 pis. (Out of stock.) 
WS 111. Preliminary report on underground waters of Washington, by Henry Landes. 1904. 85 pp.> 

ipl. 
WS 112. Underflow tests in the drainage basin of Los Angeles River, by Homer Hamlin. 1904. 

55 pp., 7 pis. 
WS114. Underground waters of eastern United States; M.' L. Fuller, geologist in charge. 1904. 

285 pp., 18 pis. 
WS 118. Geology and water resources of east-central Washington, by F. C. Calkins. 1905. 96 pp., 

4 pis. 
B 252. Preliminary report on the geology and water resources of central Oregon, by I. C. Russell. 

1905. 138 pp., 24 pis. 
WS 120. Bibliographic review and index of papers relating to underground waters, published by the 

United States Geological Survey, 1879-1904, by M. L. Fuller. 1905. 128 pp. 
WS 122. Relation of the law to underground waters, by D. W. Johnson. 1905. 65 pp. 
WS 123. Geology and underground water conditions of the Jornada del Muerto, New Mexico, by C. R. 

Keyes. 1905. 42 pp., 9 pis. 
WS 136. Underground waters of the Salt River Valley, by W. T. Lee. 1905. 194 pp., 24 pis. 
B 264. Record of deep-well drilling for 1904, by M. L. Fuller, E. F. Lines, and A. C. Veatch. 1906. 

106 pp. 



SKRIEH LIST. Ill 

I']'-(l. riuliTKriniiiil wtitci- icsouri'i's of Lcmi,' Isliuid, New Y(irk, by A. ('. VciiU'li tiiul olluTs. I'.ins. 

WS 137. Duvfldpnient of nmli'i'snuiiui walcrsiii llir t'listiTiicoaslal plain rrtciiiiKifsdiilluTiiCnliforiiia, 

by W. ('. MotukMiliall. I'.ior). HO pp., 7 pl.s. 
WS ISS. ncvclopnu'HtofuiKUTKi'oiiiiil waters in thoci'iitral coastal plain region of snulluTii Califoriiiu, 

by \V. C. Mendenhall. I'.t05. 102 pp., T) pis. 
WS l;W. Dcvelopmeiitofundcrfrround waters in tlie western coastal plain region of sou tliern California, 

by W. C. Mendenlnill. 190."i. Wn jip., 7 pis. 
WS 1(0. Field measurements of the rate of niovcment of underground waters, by C. S. Slichter. 1905. 

122 pp.. 15 pis. 
WSlll. Observations on the ground waters of Rio (Irande Valley, by C S. Slichter. 190.'). 83 pp., 

,^ pis. 
WS 112. HydroloKV ofSan Bernardino Valley, California, by W. ('. Mendenhall. lOU.'i. 121 pp.,13pls. 
WS 145. Contribntions to the hydrology of eastern United Stales; M. L. Fuller, geologist in charge. 

1905. 220 pp., 6 pis. 

WS 148. Geology and water resources of Oklahoma, by C. N. Gould. 1905. 178 pp., 22 pis. 

WS 149. Preliminary list of deep borings in the United States, second edition, with additions, by 

N. H. Darton. 1905. 175 pp. 
PI' 46. Geology and underground water resources of northern Louisiana and southern Arkansas, by 

A. C. Veatch. 190(;. 422 j.p., 51 pis. 
WS 153. The iitiderflow in .Arkansas Valley in western Kansas, by C. S. Slichter. 1906. 90 pp., 3 pis. 
WS 154. The geology and water resources of the eastern portion of the Panhandle of Texas, by C. N. 

Gould. 1906. 64 pp., 15 pis. 
"VVS 155. Fluctuations of the water level in wells, with special reference to Long Island, New York, 

by A. 0. Veatch. 1906. 83 pp., 9 pis. 
WS 157. Underground water in the valleys of Utah Lake and Jordan River, Utah, by G. B. Richard.son. 

1906. 81 pp., 9 pis. 

WS 1.58. Preliminary report on the geology and underground waters of the Roswell artesian area 

New Mexico, by C. A. Fisher. 1906. 29 pp., 9 pis. 
PP 52. Geology and underground waters of the Arkansas Valley in eastern Colorado, by N. H. Darton. 

1906. 90 pp., 28 pis. 
WS 159. Summary of underground-water resources of Mississippi, by A. F. Crider and L. C. Johnson. 

1906. 86 pp., 6 pis. 
PP 53. Geology and water resources of the Bigliorn basin, Wyoming, by C. A. Fisher. 1906. 72 pp., 

16 pis. 
WS 160. Underground-water papers, 1906, by M. L. Fuller. 1906. 104 pp., 1 pi. 
WS 163. Bibliographic review and index of underground-water literature published in the United 

States in 1905, by M. L. Fuller, F. G. Clapp, and B. L. John.son. 1906. 130 pp. 
WS 164. Undergrotuul waters of Tennessee and Kentucky west of Tennessee River and of an adjacent 

area in Illinois, by L. C. Glenn. 1906. 173 pp., 7 pis. 
WS 181. Geology and water resources of Owens Valley, California, by W. T. Lee. 1906. 28 pp., 6 pis. 
WS 182. Flowing wells and municipal water supplies in the southern portion of the Southern Penin- 
sula of Michigan, by Frank Leverett and others. 1906. 292 pp., 5 pis. 
WS 183. Flowing wells and municipal water supplies in the middle and northern portions of the 

Southern Peninsula of Michigan, by Frank Leverett and others. 1906. — pp., 5 pis. 
B 298. Record of deep-well drilling for 1905, by M. L. Fuller and Samuel Sanford. 1906. 299 pp. 
WS 184. The nn<lerflow of the South Platte Valley, by C. S. slichter and H. C. Wolff. 1906. 42 pp. 

The following papers also relate to this subject: Underground waters of Arkansas Valley in eastern 
Colorado, by G. K. Gilbert, in Seventeenth Annual, Pt. II; Preliminary report on artesian waters of a 
portion of the Dakotas, by N. H. Darton, in Seventeenth Annual, Pt. II; Water resources of Illinois, 
by Frank Leverett, in Seventeenth Annual, Pt. II; Water resources of Indiana and Ohio, by Frank 
Leverett, in Eighteenth Annual, Pt. IV; New developments in well boring and irrigation in eastern 
South Dakota, by N. H. Darton, in Eighteenth Annual, Pt. IV; Rock waters of Ohio, by Edward 
Orton, in Nineteenth Annual, Pt. IV; Artesian-well prospects in the Atlantic coastal plain region, by 
N. H. Darton, Bulletin No. 138. 

Correspondence should be addrest to 

The Director, 

United States Geological Survey, 

Washington, D. C. 
November, 1906. 

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